Brewing Perfection
by albe-chan
Summary: Lily Potter applies to her dream job with little hope. When she lands it, and starts her career for real as a word-class Potioneer, she has no idea that her mentor would become so much more. When Blaise Zabini stumbles across Lily Potter, he's certain trouble is sure to follow, but not just how much his research assistant would come to mean to him. MATURE. Next Gen. Lily/Blaise.
1. Chapter 1

**Brewing Perfection**

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Lily Potter smoothed the pencil skirt of her navy blue suit and swallowed, her face remaining impassive and coolly collected, even as the dark red haired, hazel eyed witch started definitely freaking out on the inside. _What the hell am I doing here!?_ Sure, she'd sent her application in, along with probably dozens of other witches, for the position for which she was now interviewing for, but Lily had never really expected anything to come of it. She'd been all but certain she'd be too young, too inexperienced, and far too unqualified for the position, but here she was. Sitting in a very nice and quite comfortable chair, in a sleekly modern reception area, wearing her best Muggle suit under her lightweight, cream coloured robes she'd only ever worn once before, waiting to be called in for her interview.

There'd been nine other witches, of all ages, who'd been selected for interviews, and all but two others aside from Lily had already gone into the office beyond, only to be sent out at some point. Lily tried not to read into the fact three of them had been crying, because she could only imagine she'd end up as one of them, crying bitter tears of rejection. She had accepted it would probably happen and smoothed her pencil skirt again, even as the seventh girl, a rather pretty blonde with a low cut blouse and ample cleavage, came out, mascara running with her tears.

Lily couldn't help it, and gulped, half praying she wouldn't be the next lamb to the slaughter. The secretary, a beady eyed old crone, got up from her desk, went in, and came back out swiftly, looking more sour than ever. The redheaded witch felt her heart beating in her throat, and suddenly wished she hadn't even applied for the stupid position. It was bound to be low paying, and even if it would be a fucking dream come true, there was no sense going in there and having one of the best potioneers of the last decade, the wizard who'd invented both the Fecundity Potion and the Morning After Potion himself, laugh at her. "Miss Potter," the secretary barked, and Lily stood up abruptly and too fast. Her heart was pounding, stomach sick with anxiety, but she smiled politely, forced herself to be calm and poised, and walked forward smoothly. Even though she gulped as she turned toward the door, and went in, feeling like she was walking into danger.

"Close the door behind you," said the man sitting in the chair behind the desk as she crossed the threshold, and Lily felt her hand tremble the slightest bit as she closed the door softly and sucked in a deep breath, praying for courage that had never been her strong suit. And with her heart pounding and stomach sinking, she turned to face Blaise Zabini.

He stared levelly at her for a beat, and Lily stood there, staring back, mouth parted a little, because she'd seen pictures of Blaise Zabini, the wizard who'd created half a dozen top selling potions, and the man voted Sexiest Male Potioneer Alive for the last three years in a row by _Potions Today_ magazine. On top of being Most Eligible Bachelor by _Witch Weekly_ for the last five. But they didn't do the wizard a lick of justice, she reckoned. Because seeing him in the flesh, she couldn't ignore that he had a very dominating presence, like he was used to being in control, and an utterly masculine air that made something she'd always repressed deep down inside nudge awake.

Her heart started beating double time when the older wizard smiled crookedly at her, and waved her casually into the seat before his desk. "I was going to ask if you're related to Harry Potter, but it seems utterly obvious that you are," Zabini said, then sat forward, amused half smile fading.

Lily, who had grit her teeth a little bit at the mention of her very famous father, smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zabini," she said honestly. "I'm a fan of your work," she admitted, blushing the tiniest bit.

Zabini's dark brown eyes narrowed, full mouth turning down ever so slightly, even as a cool brow lifted. "I should warn you, Miss Potter, that if you're here because you're a fan, I can promise you won't get this position. Despite who your father is."

Lily licked her lips. "Duly noted, Mr. Zabini," she said with as much respect and backbone as possible. "I'm here because I think you'd be a benefit to my own potioneering career. You're the best, and I want to be the best."

Zabini sat back again at that, the corners of his mouth hinting at amusement again. "I'm sure you understand that, despite being a paid assistant, you will not be privy to the key elements of the projects I'm working on."

Lily felt her hopes crumble a tiny bit, because she'd been hoping, should she be seriously considered, that her position as Zabini's assistant would mean he'd be like a mentor. "Of course," she said instead, smiling politely. "And just for the record, if I do happen to be selected to be your assistant, I'm not going to share any of my private experiments with you, either. Even should you teach me everything you know."

Zabini smiled fleetingly, and then leaned forward, looking at her closely. Lily felt her breathing hitch a little at the intensity of his gaze, his dark eyes roving down her and then slowly back up. "How many languages do you speak?" he asked.

 _What the_ -? "Two. English and French," she said, glad her Aunt Fleur and eldest cousin Victoire had taught her French when she'd lived in France with Victoire for a year. "But I can read and write fluently in Latin as well."

Zabini cocked his head, as if considering her, and she felt like a selection of jellied newt eggs being examined for freshness. "You have all the necessary education," he said, glancing at a parchment, what she assumed was her application. "Barely," he added in an undertone, as if to himself. "But almost no experience." He looked up at her again sharply, catching her frowning before she modified her expression. "How old are you, Miss Potter?"

"Old enough," she said firmly. Zabini smirked.

"Which is?" he pushed, lifting that dark brow again, looking amused by her.

"Twenty one," she said grudgingly, sure he was about to laugh at her.

Instead Zabini looked at another sheet of parchment, looking thoughtful and humming softly in thought. "And are you currently involved in a romantic relationship?" he asked at last.

Lily felt her mouth drop open gormlessly in shock, dark red brows arching high in surprise. "That is so not any of your business, nor does it pertain to my ability to work for you, Mr. Zabini!" she snapped.

And then Blaise Zabini, just like she'd told herself he would, laughed at her. And Lily's mouth snapped shut with a click, face going red with chagrin, but she didn't bother to modify her scowl. "Merlin, Potter, you are so obviously your mother's daughter it's almost unnerving." The redhead couldn't tell if that was meant to be a compliment or not, although many a time, people had said she was her mother's clone, and not just in looks. "I ask only because, should I be inclined to take you on, you'd often be out of the country with me, compiling research notes. And I've little desire to be bombarded with Howlers should your boyfriends not like that."

Lily frowned, because she didn't like the implication she had a string of random wizards at her beck and call, and because she actually didn't have _any_ wizard at the moment. Nor had she ever, really. But she could see where Zabini was coming from, she supposed. He was a smart, wealthy, pureblooded, and utterly handsome wizard, and if the gossip columns of _The Daily Prophet_ were to be believed, he was an excellent lover to boot. He'd probably had his share of jealous boyfriends with whatever witches he might've worked with along his career.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Lily said coolly, trying to maintain her dignified facade.

"Hmm," Zabini said again, and once again, his dark eyes roved over her form appraisingly, only this time Lily felt a slow heat prickling along her flesh wherever his dark brown eyes landed. "Very well, Potter. Complete this aptitude test," he said, waving his wand lazily and making a thin stack of parchments appear at his elbow, "and have it turned in by the end of the day. You may go."

Lily stood up, heart still pounding, even though it was from excitement as opposed to nerves this time. "Okay," she said, taking the parchments he passed, smiling genuinely for the first time, a proper grin, her hazel eyes shining with burgeoning excitement. "Thank you," she breathed.

Zabini lifted a brow. "You are most welcome, Miss Potter. And if you should lie on any part of that test, or cheat in some other way, I'm positive I shall find out. And I can assure you, you won't have a future as a potioneer, good or bad, should that occur."

Lily nodded, then all but ran out of the office, trying and failing not to smile, as she felt, for the first time probably ever, a sense of innate rightness in her choice to apply to be Blaise Zabini's research and potioneering assistant. She would fill out the aptitude test at home, even as she beamed at the crusty old secretary and breezed out of the modern office space of Zabini Industry's headquarters.

Zabini sat back in his seat, even as Drusilla Desmoins, his longtime secretary and the most efficient witch he'd ever met, poked her head in. "Shall I send-?" she asked, not smiling.

"No," Blaise said, waving her away. "Tell the others to go home, Drusilla. I've found the one I want." As his secretary went out, looking grim, Blaise turned away from his desk to look out the window behind it, standing to view the street and entrance below, unable to banish the image of Lily Potter from his mind.

She was precisely the sort of research assistant he'd hoped for. Young, pretty, talented but inexperienced enough to not be cocky, and able to read Latin. She'd fit into the role he needed perfectly, of that there was no doubt. But as he saw her flaming tresses below, darting out from under the little awning on the front stoop into the light drizzle that had been falling all day, Blaise Zabini couldn't help but think that was almost a shame. Because she was also the embodiment of 'his type' of witch romantically speaking. Sexy, opinionated, and ballsy enough to snap at him when he was interviewing her for a job.

Then again, he mused, smirking a little, she was also the daughter of Ginny Weasley, and apparently just as bull headed and stubborn and passionate as he recalled her mother being from the odd time he'd crossed paths with her at Hogwarts. With all that lovely red hair and porcelain skin to boot. His smirk widened, because he didn't doubt, should he try to mix his business and pleasure with Lily Potter, he'd either be the luckiest bastard alive, or they'd never find his body. No, he could handle simply having her as his assistant, even if he was more than tempted to seduce her if only to find out if the female Weasley temper translated into a wildcat between the sheets once and for all.

Lily couldn't wait to get home to write letters to her family, and friends, and tried to contain her excitement. _You don't have the job yet_. It was a sobering reminder. She still had to pass the aptitude test, but when she Apparated to her flat, Lily couldn't help but go to her couch, Conjure her writing supplies, and start the letter to her brother Albus.

Albus, to everyone's shock and surprise, had been Sorted into Slytherin when he went to Hogwarts, and to everyone's complete uproar, became best friends with none other than Scorpius Malfoy. Twelve years later, Lily's brother had become more than friends with Scorpius Malfoy, who'd secretly broken Lily's heart when he came out with Albus, but the redhead was now thoroughly happy her brother had found his soulmate or whatever. The pair certainly seemed that way, at least, even if Albus owled her weekly about their 'dysfunctional drama'.

Lily, when she attended Hogwarts, was Sorted into Ravenclaw. She'd been shocked, and a little horrified, because she'd been assuming she'd be in Gryffindor, like her eldest brother James, or at least Slytherin, like Albus, but then she'd gone and been Sorted into Ravenclaw. And for two weeks, she'd thought it a horrible mistake until she got her first Potions assignment back. It was perfect, apparently, and Lily, who'd privately thought the lesson easy compared to her Intermediate Level Potion Making Kit at home, was shocked. When her Charms and Transfiguration homework also came back with top grades, the redhead realized she might just be smart and knowledgeable after all. And from there, Lily had set her sights on winning as many awards for scholastic achievement as possible, to the exclusion of mostly everything else her entire Hogwarts career. Sure, she still had friends, and joined a couple clubs here and there, but nine times out of ten, if given the choice, Lily would've prefered the Library to a Quidditch match, and could be found most nights, working in the common room by the fire, ignoring everyone studiously.

After graduation, where she was in the top two students of her year, when she realized she had almost no life skills, Lily had gone to France for a year, but had come home to the same problem. So she got a waitress job, too embarrassed to live with her parents at the sophisticated and mature age of nineteen, and for two years, had worked evenings and weekends at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade to keep her humble flat and food in her fridge, while spending her days brewing Potions, learning Latin and keeping her French as sharp as possible, and thinking up wild potioneering experiments that usually didn't blow up when she attempted brewing them. Unfortunately, none of them precisely _worked_ either. And so when Lily had seen the ad for Zabini's lab, requesting a research and potioneering assistant, she'd jumped at the chance to get something real, that paid, in her preferred field, that came with the added bonus of being the assistant to the best potioneer this side of the Atlantic.

 _Plus it's Blaise fucking Zabini, and he's sexy_. Lily blushed a tiny bit, but shook her head. Despite what her libido thought, she was so not interested in a guy the same age as her father. And even if she _were_ , in a strictly animalistic way, she wasn't naive enough to think he'd ever want anything to do with little old her. She was undoubtedly too young, and mostly still a virgin, and there was no way, when he could pick from way more attractive and experienced witches than her, she'd ever have a chance.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Lily decided to start on the aptitude test, but wrote out a preliminary version on a separate sheet of parchment. Lily, being studious, and a formidable witch and potioneer despite her age, would analyze her initial responses, and then perhaps hone a few should she feel it necessary. By the time four o'clock rolled around the redhead had finished her test, and Apparated to Zabini's research lab to drop it off. His surly, aged secretary was still there when she appeared in the reception area, and Lily handed the tightly scrolled parchment to her directly.

"You won't last until the end of the week," the old crone whispered cryptically as soon as the redhead had turned her back, but she feigned deafness and swooped out of the building, heading to her job at the Broomsticks.

The next morning, Lily got up early, against her will, to the insistent tapping of an owl at the window. She groaned, because she'd been up late, and she was exhausted after a busy Friday evening at work, and the last thing she wanted was cheerful sunshine stabbing her in the retinas while she fumbled her post from an indignant owl, who nipped her with menace before flying off again. Lily cursed the damn bird, and yawned as she glanced vaguely at her mail. And then she almost choked.

It was written in a bold, masculine, and flawlessly neat hand, addressed to her, and bearing the return address of none other than Blaise Zabini's Potions Facilities. Her heart started beating far too fast, and her hands trembled as she carefully unsealed the letter within. It was written in the same hand that had addressed it, and Lily felt herself nearing the edge of hysteria as she read.

 _Lily Potter,_

 _Congratulations, you've been selected for the position of my research and potioneering assistant. Despite your lack of real, first hand experience in the field, I believe you will be undoubtedly the best candidate to work for me, and as you yourself said, if you wish to be the best, learn from the best._

 _Present yourself at my office on Monday morning, eight o'clock sharp, to sign your Magical Employment contract, and ensure you've packed clothes and the like for two weeks. Mushroom season is peaking in Vienna, and you're going to get a chance to prove yourself, Miss Potter. If that isn't amenable to you, don't bother turning up at all, because if you aren't cut out for this life, it's best to find out first thing._

 _Best regards,_

 _Blaise Zabini_

Lily fought down her nerves and excitement, trying to remain rational and calm, even as she trembled, unable to squash the huge grin on her face. She was going to Vienna, for a fortnight, with Blaise fucking Zabini, Sexiest Male Potioneer and Most Eligible Bachelor, to go mushroom hunting. And he would teach her how to be a world class potioneer. Maybe.

The redheaded witch could resist no longer, and jumped out of bed, whooping in pure joy, and laughing loudly. "I _knew_ all my hard work would pay off!" she said to herself, and then read the letter again, just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, or dreaming, and she was actually the luckiest fucking witch in the world. She laughed some more after finishing the letter a second time, then got up, in a bulletproof happy mood.

And all that day, as Lily wrote letters, and finished others, to announce that she'd gotten her _dream_ job, and went out to get some things she was sure she'd need hiking for mushrooms, and stocking up on her Potions ingredients, she couldn't seem to stop smiling. She went to her parents' house for dinner, after her mother had sent her an owl _insisting_ on a family dinner to celebrate, to which Lily agreed, because it would be better than sitting home alone, second guessing herself entirely. When she saw that both of her brothers, and Scorpius, had decided to show up as well, already seated at the table with her dad, and they looked suspiciously not happy for her, Lily wasn't sure staying home had been a bad option.

"Oh Lily, honey, you're here!" her mother said, getting up from where she'd been seated as well, and the redhead felt a thrill of suspicion again, and the distinct impression they'd all just been talking about her and her recent employment upgrade. And Lily couldn't help but think it was bad, as her mother hugged her close.

"Hi, Mum," she said stiffly, and hugged her mother briefly before pulling away. "What's going on? I'm not late, am I?" she asked pointedly.

"Oh no, honey, no, dinner's still in the oven. We were just-"

"Having a nice family chat," Harry Potter said, looking at Lily levelly, green eyes vibrant as ever and giving nothing away. "Come join us, Lily."

The redhead's mouth thinned a little, but she said, "Sure," politely and went and sat in her usual place at the table. "So what are we talking about?" she asked, although she had a damn good idea already.

"Lily, we love you," Albus said, because she glared at him especially hard, knowing he'd be most likely to tell her the truth, "and we want your dreams to come true, honestly, but you can't work for Blaise Zabini."

The redheaded witch nodded. "Alright. Why don't you think so, when he owled me personally to say he'd specifically chosen me for the job, because I was the best candidate?"

Harry Potter, looking especially surly at that comment, snorted, while her brother James said tersely, "Because he's only interested in one thing, Lily."

Both of Lily's dark red eyebrows shot up. "I hope the follow up to that statement is that you mean my brain," she said in a low, dangerous voice, already easing her wand out of her jeans pocket under the table.

"James," her mother said sternly. "That is nothing but rumours," she said firmly. "I, for one, couldn't be more pleased for you, honey," she said, hugging Lily again, and the younger redheaded witch hugged back this time.

"Thanks, Mum," she said, smiling. She'd known her mum would be proud despite apparently most of her family not approving, probably because they were deluded into thinking Blaise Zabini, of all wizards, was hiring her because he wanted in her knickers. _Yeah fucking right! In my dreams, maybe_.

Harry Potter still looked nettled, but when Lily met his gaze, intelligent hazel eyes questioning, looking for his approval, he crumbled despite his fears. "You really want to do this?" he asked. Lily nodded.

"He's the best," she said logically. "In the field I want to be in, right now, Blaise Zabini is _the_ best in the country, if not all of Europe," she added with emphasis. "Why in the name of Merlin's pants would I turn down the opportunity to work with one of the best minds potioneering has ever seen?"

"But still, Zabini _does_ have a long string of tabloid fodder relationships," Scorpius said, and Albus pouted at him. "And I've little doubt your name will be dragged through the mud with his, Lily."

The redhead frowned at that, because that was potentially true, and could certainly be a likelihood if she was working with Zabini. But then again, when nothing ever came of it, she was positive it would be old news sooner rather than later. "Unlikely," she said, even as she privately thought if she went away with him, even if only to pick mushrooms, there would be speculation. Which meant she had to keep that tidbit to herself.

"Well I support you, Lils," Albus said decisively, and smiled, even as his blond haired, grey eyed lover shot him an eye roll. "Even if certain others are going to be big old sticks in the mud. So when do you start?"

Lily smiled, because she knew now that Albus was okay with it, obviously trusting that even if, by some miracle, Blaise Zabini _did_ want in her knickers, she'd obviously say no, Scorpius would follow soon after. "Thanks, Al," She said lightly. "I start Monday." She looked at her father, and said, "And I'm looking forward to it. You and Mum always told me to work for what I want. Well, now my work is paying off, and I want to enjoy it without everyone worrying about me."

Harry Potter smiled a little. "Alright, honey," she said, even though part of him definitely still felt rankled by a piece of overheard conversation too many years ago. "I'm glad your hard work is paying off, Lily, and I hope you learn lots from Zabini about your Potions stuff," he said.

"Thanks, Dad," Lily said, smiling.

"If only so you can quit and strike out on your own," James added, always quick on the heels of his father's overprotective streak for his younger sister.

The younger redhead rolled her eyes, shaking her head just as the elder said, after checking the oven, "Dinner's ready, everyone."

By the time Lily got home just before eight, she was exhausted, but went over her list of packing essentials, made note of what she was still missing after doing a thorough inventory, and got out her trusty overnight bag. It could fit a month's worth of shrunken down supplies and clothes, and she planned to leave herself unprepared for nothing come Monday morning. By midnight, Lily was done, after getting everything she could think she might need, and then some, into her overnight bag, and sighed as she crawled, at last, into bed, falling asleep the moment she closed her eyes.

Lily presented herself at the door to Blaise Zabini's office at five to eight, overnight bag on her shoulder, in her favourite black leggings and a cream coloured blouse under her warm, winter weight robes that she'd bought at the end of last winter when they'd been heavily discounted. She was wearing respectable ankle boots in deep eggplant leather, but had her hiking boots packed right near the top of her bag, just in case she'd need them first thing upon arriving in Austria. The redheaded witch took a deep breath, then knocked firmly on the door, glad she didn't see the secretary from her last visit present, because if the old crone said something, Lily wasn't sure she'd be able to hold her tongue.

"Enter," came Zabini's voice from within, and Lily turned the knob and let herself into the office, closing the door with soft care behind herself. "You're early, Miss Potter," Zabini said, not looking up from the parchment he was writing steadily on.

Lily licked her lips. "I figured the less time wasted signing documents the better," she said. "Last I checked, just before I Apparated here, it's raining steadily in the mountains around Vienna and expected to clear up within the hour, which means the mushrooms will be waiting."

Zabini lifted his brows a fraction as he scrawled his name at the bottom of whatever he was writing and sealed the letter into an envelope. He stood and carried his post to a waiting owl by his window, and Lily recognized the bird that had woken her the other morning. "Your dedication is admirable, Miss Potter," he said, and smirked a tiny bit at her. "Let us hope you'll be able to maintain that level of enthusiasm for the long haul," he said, and posted his letter, then lifted a black leather bag, roughly the same size as Lily's overnight bag, from beside his desk chair and came toward her. Lily swallowed, because it was obvious, as her hazel eyes took him in in his crisp white button down and well-tailored slacks, he was all male, and probably even more good looking naked than clothed.

"Let's hope so," she agreed, hating that her voice caught a little on the word hope, and that she sounded breathy and far too affected by his presence. Even if she kind of was.

"Now, to those boring documents that we must negotiate," he said with nonchalance, and waved his wand. They appeared on the desktop. "Your employment contract. It's fairly standard. You sign a binding clause that you won't share anything I might allow you to be privy to that could be construed as a company secret. I agree to pay you, you agree upon said payment, you sign a clause saying I have the right to terminate you at any point, even if you should be employed by me for an extended period of time, and you have the right to quit at any point, without affecting your severance pay."

Lily nodded as her future employer talked. It all seemed on the up and up as she flipped through it. "Okay," she said, and Zabini handed her another set of parchments.

"Your homework, Potter. These are my personal notes for the project I'm currently enamored with, which are enchanted for you to read, and which I am granting you on the explicit understanding you aren't to breathe a word of _anything_ within them to anyone. Ever."

Lily's brow furrowed. "Of course," she said automatically. Zabini didn't hand them over, so Lily held her hand out, supposing he wished to make an Unbreakable Vow.

Instead he shook her hand as though she were an equal, and handed her the stack of parchments. "Feel free to peruse them at your leisure. Right now, we have a Portkey to catch." He held out his hand, and Lily licked her lips, swallowed past the excitement that had her smiling, and looked up into Blaise Zabini's dark brown eyes as she slid her hand into his.

The dark haired and dark eyed pureblood wizard stared at Lily Potter, eyes roving briefly down her tempting frame, swathed in her curve hugging pants and blouse, and then smirked, gripped her hand tightly, and Side Along Apparated her to the International Portkey Terminal, an abandoned warehouse not far from the Ministry entrance. Ten minutes later, Lily was taking a tin can to Vienna with her new boss, just as an owl delivered a letter addressed to Harry Potter, penned in Blaise Zabini's own hand.

 _Harry Potter,_

 _It has probably come to your attention, or undoubtedly shall soon, that your daughter has accepted her position as my assistant, and as such, I can assure you, I have no desire to draw any negative press toward her. It would blemish my own reputation, you see. So rest assured, Potter, that I have no intentions of, as you so eloquently phrased it, 'taking advantage of your daughter's assets below the neck', publicly or privately._

 _If anything, I'd rather become acquainted with your lovely wife's below the neck assets. Somehow I doubt those Quidditch robes ever did her any justice, even if the International level uniforms were distinctly more fitted than, for example, when we were back at school._

 _Best regards,_

 _B. Zabini_

Harry stared at the parchment, feeling a mingled sense of relief, embarrassment, and righteous anger. Of course he'd known it, and Zabini _had_ found Ginny attractive back at school! Hell, she was bloody gorgeous both inside and out, still was in fact, and a helluva a witch to boot. And every wizard who'd fancied her had probably seen her photos with the Holyhead Harpies and imagined her naked. Harry wasn't above admitting to himself he had, even when he'd been able to do more than fantasize about it.

But it still irked him to no end, because Lily was her mother's spitting image all right, except maybe her eyes and the depth of her red hair. And Harry wasn't stupid enough to believe because Zabini had thought his wife pretty in her youth, he'd undoubtedly think of Lily otherwise.

Vibrant emerald eyes scanned the parchment again, lighting on the words 'no intentions' and then 'publicly or privately'. He scowled, then destroyed the letter with a simple flick of his wrist and a muttered, " _Incendio_!" It would have to do. He smiled as he got up from his desk, hearing his wife in the kitchen, making breakfast and coffee for them, singing along to whatever was on the wireless and shook his head. How foolish he'd been! Of course Lily was her mother's little clone. His smile widened as he at last set eyes on Ginny, as she sang tunelessly and whipped up pancake batter, because he had a very good idea of precisely how Ginny, even at twenty one, would've reacted to a man she wasn't attracted to and old enough to be her father trying to seduce her. And that could only end poorly should Zabini be fool enough to try with Lily.

Ginny turned and looked at him, and Harry felt a sense of smug pride that Ginny, all those long years ago, had fallen for _him_ , Harry Potter, of all people. Not someone like Zabini, even if he hadn't been a stuck up git. Oh yes, there was nothing at all to worry about. Because even if Zabini _did_ try to take advantage of his daughter, she'd learned and inherited her mother's hexing skill and redheaded temper. "What's got you looking so pleased?" Ginny asked, brow furrowing. Harry only smiled wider.

"I was just thinking," he said, and his green eyes roved down her shape. Hell, even in her robe and faded pyjama pants some twenty five plus years later, Ginny was gorgeous. "You remember when you did that calendar for the Harpies?"

Ginny grinned, giggling a little, and blushing attractively. "Oh Merlin, Harry, please don't bring that up," she sighed. It had been the catalyst that had rekindled their romance after the Battle of Hogwarts, almost a year and a half later.

"I wonder how many wizards bought that calendar just for the July witch," he teased, even as he pulled her closer. Ginny grinned coyly.

"Lots. Probably to wank off thinking about her, I reckon," she shot back, and Harry blushed now, but grinned back. "Good thing too, in your case Mr. Potter."

"Great in my case, Mrs. Potter," Harry said, his fears about his one-time rival and daughter put to rest for the time being. Ginny pulled him down to kiss him, then broke away after a long moment.

"Am I pausing breakfast?" she asked, even as he pushed her robe off.

"Best make it lunch," Harry agreed, and brought her mouth back to his.

XXX


	2. Chapter 2

**Brewing Perfection**

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

One Month Later

Lily bit back the yawn as she slumped into her usual seat at her mother's table for Sunday dinner, wishing she'd skived off to go home and sleep. Instead, she was in her work clothes, about four seconds from nodding off before dinner was even served, and braced herself as best she could for the questions about where she'd been the last few weeks. In truth, Lily was tired because she'd only gotten home Friday evening, and although her jetlag had been minimal, Lily had lost the rhythm she'd once had of waking early and going to bed at a respectable time during her time in Vienna. While in Austria, she'd adapted to her boss's preferred schedule, of waking early, putting in long hours of research that taxed her mind, or mushroom hunting that exhausted her flesh, and once they'd found acceptable lab space to rent the last week there, brewing potions until her eyelids couldn't stay open any longer and her focus was shot.

But although it was a much more grueling existence than she'd realized, Lily had to admit, there were definitely perks. Like having dinner every night with the brightest potioneering mind in the last two decades, and asking myriad questions, debating amicably about obscure theories Lily was sure no one else would even know about, let alone challenge her with. And, although she wouldn't admit it under torture of the Cruciatus Curse, there was also the very definite perk of being in close living quarters with a wizard who was all male, and, as she'd confirmed with her own eyes, every bit as good looking without a shirt as she'd imagined.

Lily wondered if perhaps that had been the reason, alone in her flat last night for the first time in almost a month, she'd been unable to sleep. She doubted it was because she wasn't tired enough, because she'd been exhausted upon arriving home, the toll of so much extra strain almost too much for her. And Lily also doubted it was because she hadn't dined on exquisite, first-class, multiple star cuisine, either, like she'd done most nights while in Vienna.

No, the redheaded witch was all but certain it was because she had, after extended exposure, been without Blaise Zabini's presence last night. They'd slept in separate rooms, obviously, while abroad, and her boss had been nothing but gentlemanly, but Lily couldn't help it. She kind of missed him. There'd been no one, for the first time she could recall, telling her she was an idiot for buying titanium Potions tools, when silver had been the go to for centuries. And no one asking her to explain why she thought ancient Egyptian mummification Potions were probably all a farce, because they'd obviously _worked_ , hadn't they? And most of all, there'd been no dark, curious eyes roving over her while she defended her Potions tools or expounded her theory the Egyptians were a little loopy in general, and no amused tilt to a full mouth that could make her heart pound when the dark eyes paused below her face.

So she'd spent a sleepless night, pacing her flat, writing a long list of reasons it was stupid to _miss_ her boss. A boss she'd wound up cursing when she _had_ fallen asleep sometime around four thirty in the morning, and been woken by an owl an hour and half. Because Zabini had not so subtly summoned her to work, where she'd been briefed with his latest potioneering project, and then taken excessive notes while he talked and theorized, and asked her, half a dozen times, if she was paying attention.

"Lily, honey, you look exhausted," her mother said, and Lily lifted her eyelids, pasting on a smile.

"Sorry, Mum, I'm bloody knackered," she admitted, rubbing her face. She grimaced, wishing she'd thought to have a sip or twelve of Perk Me Up Potion. "I was up late, and I just got finished working," she sighed, propping her head in her palm, elbow braced on the table to hold herself up.

Harry's brows lifted. "I hope Zabini's not overworking you, honey."

"Not at all," she lied, because she had to admit, if she were a lesser witch, and didn't crave a good challenge and some hard work, she'd never have made it through the first week as Zabini's assistant. She smiled genuinely, because she could hear Blaise now, in her head, telling her to either go to bed, or take some damn Perk Me Up Potion, because he didn't have time for her half arsed note taking. "Actually," she said through a yawn, "Blaise is a pretty decent boss, all things considered."

Harry looked up from his paper sharply, just as Albus and Scorpius sat down across the table from Lily. "Hello, boys," Ginny said, bestowing motherly cheek kisses.

"So it's _Blaise_ now, is it, Lils?" Albus teased, smirking, but Scorpius didn't look amused.

The redhead merely shrugged, too tired for the ribbing. "Yes," she said simply, fighting another yawn. Zabini had requested, after the first day, she address him by his given name, because if he 'had to hear Mr. Zabini one more time', he'd fire her. And by the time they'd taken their Portkey home to Britain, he'd relented on the 'Miss Potter', and actually called her Lily a few times.

"Oh yeah?" Albus said, smirking, and Lily frowned, because her brother looked like he was about to start trouble. "That's awfully... _intimate_. Don't you think?"

"Albus," Scorpius said quietly, looking like his face was carved of stone. Lily peeked at her father, but Harry Potter was looking back at his paper.

"Though," Albus continued, and Lily felt her stomach drop, "it's bound to happen when you go away together, all hushed up, for a month." Silence descended in the Potter kitchen faster than a Dementor could suck the happiness out of the circus, and the redhead was instantly wide awake, half tempted to curse her stupid brother right there at the dinner table. "It was Vienna, right?" Albus said, glancing at his light-haired lover. Scorpius shot Lily an apologetic look.

"Albus," Scorpius said again, but then Ginny Potter, who'd spun around sharply, mouth hanging open, seemed to find her voice.

"Lily Luna," she hissed, and Lily pulled a face, mouth pursing. Because she was _not_ a fifteen year old, underage witch, and she didn't like being addressed as one.

"You did _what_?" Harry finally choked out. "For a _month_!?"

"I told you not to go there, Al," Scorpius said, but Albus only grinned.

"Oops. You know me and my big fat mouth, Scor," Albus replied, putting a hand on Malfoy's forearm, looking distinctly unrepentant.

"You said you were working, Lily," Ginny said, looking almost hurt her daughter had apparently lied to her.

"I was," the younger redhead said sternly. "I went to Vienna with Blaise to _work_."

"Why in the name of Godric-?" Ginny said, brows pulling together.

"It's mushroom season, Mum, and Vienna has some of the best potion ingredient grade mushrooms on the continent. That's pretty much the main reason we went," Lily cut in. "And no, I didn't tell you, because you and Dad would've told me not to go."

"Bloody right we-" Harry began, but Ginny shot her husband a dark look.

"Yeah, mushrooms," Albus said with a snort of disbelief.

"That will be enough from you, Albus," Ginny said with finality. She gave Lily a level look. "And you and Zabini have nothing but a working relationship, Lily?" she demanded. The redhead wanted to sigh, but fought the urge.

"Yes," she said with honesty, because it was true. Even if a repressed, definitely slutty side of her was disappointed by it, because she _had_ spent a month in close, almost intimate contact with Blaise, and there was definitely a side of her that was attracted to him. But she knew that was foolish, and so incredibly unlikely, it was madness to dwell on it.

Harry, who looked distinctly still riled up, said under his breath, "I bloody knew it." Ginny set her mouth.

"Well, it's good you're back, Lily, honey," she said, going back to the stove to check on the self-mashing potatoes. "But I don't like that you thought you couldn't tell us. We all support you, honey, and your work with Zabini, and I for one, will never tell you not to follow your dreams."

Lily smiled, glad her mother was on her side, after learning there was nothing but shared enthusiasm for Potions and all its many facets between her and her employer at least. She shot Albus a dark look. "Thanks, Mum," she said and then smiled. "That reminds me, Al," she said, because if Albus was going to throw her to the lions, she'd do the same to him. "I saw Lysander Scamander at the apothecary down Knockturn Alley the other day, after restocking my Potions kit. He said he bumped into you a couple weeks ago?"

She watched her brother's face morph from a grin into a scowl, even as Scorpius lifted a cool blond eyebrow, looking at the green eyed wizard sitting beside him accusingly.

"You're a bitch," Albus hissed, low enough their mum wouldn't hear. Lily smiled sweetly.

"I had the _best_ teacher," she shot back, and then looked at her father, who looked disgruntled, but hadn't said a word. She could only assume he shared her mother's opinions, or if he disagreed, it wasn't enough he dared face his wife's wrath over.

"Yes, Albus, how _is_ Scamander?" Scorpius asked in frigid tones, and Lily sat back, yawning again, but feeling smug. Because now Albus was pouting, and obviously stuck in an awkward situation because of his big fat mouth, and that was always a good show with dinner.

By the time Monday morning rolled around, Lily was back to feeling rested and like herself, mostly, and when she Apparated to Zabini's office to start her day and her work week, she was feeling rather optimistic. Of course that all came crashing down when she was met, first thing, by Zabini's crusty old secretary, who made no bones about disliking Lily, and found out she was being sent to the relative silence, and death by dust inhalation, of perusing Zabini Industry's research library. And, even though her heart sank, she pasted on a smile, thanked the batty old crone after receiving directions on how to get there, and went to purgatory to sulk and compile research notes for her boss.

The redhead told herself this was the job she'd been hired for, and that to assume, just because she'd spent almost a month with him in Vienna, and they'd almost become friends in her eyes, she would be anything more than the minion who did the less desirable tasks of potioneering for Blaise, was stupid. Stupid and foolish. So she forced her mind to focus on the task at hand, going through ancient parchments that detailed unnamed potions that hadn't been successful before, and making notes on what had gone wrong with failed potioneers' projects in centuries past. Even after her hand started cramping and she wondered if it was lunchtime, Lily soldiered on, determined to banish her foolish and naive expectations Blaise actually thought her an equal as she worked.

"Miss Potter," came a familiar voice from behind her, and Lily jumped in surprise as she dropped her carefully ordered stack of parchment, all of them falling out of place, in a mess on the floor.

"Shit," she breathed, and pulled out her wand to tidy them back up, to be reorganized, but then they lifted and stacked themselves neatly on the little desk she'd been working at. "Hello, Mr. Zabini," she said brightly, trying to fight the urge to blush that she'd acted like a scared intern and spazzed out when her boss spoke to her. "What can I do for you?" she asked, turning to face the dark haired, dark eyed wizard properly, finding him smirking a little at her.

"What time is it, Miss, Potter?" he drawled, and she paused, mouth parting, because that was definitely not what she'd thought he would say. "And I thought we'd agreed that you would stop calling me that," Zabini added, lifting a dark brow at her.

Lily blushed, because she hadn't forgotten their agreement she would call him Blaise, but it still felt almost too personal, especially after hearing what Albus had hinted at last night at dinner. "Sorry," she said softly, blushing a tiny bit. "Um, I'm not sure what time it is," she added, pushing through her awkwardness.

He consulted his wristwatch, then held his wrist out so she could see for herself. Lily licked her lips, took four steps toward him, and looked down at his very nice, probably expensive, gold watch that ticked faintly. Her brows shot up, because unless his watch was wrong, which she doubted, or she'd forgotten how to properly tell time, which she was sure she hadn't, it was now almost four o'clock. Where had the time flown? "Well?" Blaise said expectantly, and Lily looked up at him.

"According to your watch, it's three minutes to four," she said.

"Indeed," he said, still staring at her expectantly. "Which means?" he prompted when silence fell between them.

Lily licked her lips again, wondering what response he was expecting, looking between his dark eyes that gave nothing away. "I missed lunch?" she guessed. Which was the truth, but when her boss lifted a disdainful eyebrow, she knew she'd not gotten the right answer. And then it clicked in her mind. "The test potions!" she said, instantly recalling that they'd been brewing test potions the Saturday before, several of them based on a couple different theories Blaise had regarding his next project, and they'd been left to mature. Blaise smiled the tiniest bit at her.

"Precisely, Miss Potter. In two minutes, they will be ready for evaluation." She nodded. "Which begs the question, Miss Potter, of why you are still here, when you are required in my laboratory to perform the necessary task of assisting me."

Lily only stared blankly for a beat, then promptly snapped her mouth shut. "I forgot," she admitted. "I lost track of time, and I…" she trailed off, because Zabini was looking at her as if he found her excuses insulting.

"Perhaps you should invest in a watch, Miss Potter," he replied coolly. "Or a Remembrall?"

Lily's brows pulled together and she glared a tiny bit. "Hardly, Blaise," she said with dignity. "I'm not _that_ forgetful, and I don't wear a watch because I find them to be annoying. It's impossible to find one that fits properly."

Blaise smirked, looking at her delicate wrists, and wagered she'd have to buy a child's watch to find one that would fit on her thin wrist properly. "Well?" she said, looking up at him expectantly. "Are we going to evaluate the test potions or not?"

Blaise lifted dark brows, partly in surprise she spoke to him like that at times, and partly because he'd almost forgotten the reason he came himself, to find his young redheaded assistant, who had very nearly been late. "Come along then," he said, and grasped her hand to Side Along her to his private laboratory.

He didn't see her spectacular frown at being addressed as though she were a wayward child, but by the time they appeared, with a loud pop, at the lab, she'd modified her expression to one of cool, collected calmness, and instantly Conjured her notes, to continue them. Blaise regarded her, his eyes roving slowly down her as she perched on her little stool, notes in hand, looking every inch the perfect assistant. Then he smirked, because he could see some underlying tension there, in the stiffness of her shoulders and the tautness around her mouth, but she was remaining the collected, efficient witch he'd come to depend on in Vienna. And he was rapidly beginning to realize she was a formidable little witch. "Test sample one," he began, moving toward the first cauldron, and Lily breathed a tiny sigh of relief.

She couldn't help, every time his eyes would rove over her, especially since hearing her brother describe her being on intimate terms with Blaise, feeling a distinct awareness of her body, and the rising feelings that his gaze evoked in it that were becoming harder to ignore. She knew it was foolish, but she couldn't help that the more time she spent with him, the more she was starting to feel attracted to him. Lily knew that could only end disastrously, and strove to push through the feelings, telling herself sternly it was just silly to feel that way for her boss.

As November froze into December, and Lily settled into her job at home properly, she became aware of two things. The first, was that she'd lucked out more than she'd ever thought she would applying for the position to be Blaise's research and potioneering assistant, because she was literally getting paid to learn her craft at the hands of a wizard who was obviously a genius. The second was that no matter how hard she tried, she was horribly and irrevocably attracted to Blaise Zabini, and the more she began to see of his mind, the more she began to yearn for his body.

It was in the run up to Christmas, the holiday only five short days away, and Lily, who was once again perched on her stool in Blaise's lab, notebook spread open beside her, but quill at rest, when she realized that her attraction might not be entirely as one sided as she'd always believed. The room was hot, and she'd discarded her robes on the bench beside her, and was leaning in to peer over the hot cauldron Blaise was stirring with infinite patience at a slow, steady glide. "Blaise," she said softly, almost holding her breath in anticipation, "it's working."

"Shh," he said, wrist still rotating lazily, even as the potion within began to thicken.

Lily bit her lip against a groan of anticipation, then sucked in a breath, because the potion was rapidly thickening, and she gripped her wand at the ready, on edge now for the command to extinguish the fire. Her hazel eyes didn't blink as she watched the very thick, almost sticky looking purple potion, and in the precise instant it began to congeal, Blaise said, "Now."

She extinguished the fire as he dropped the last ingredient in, and Lily couldn't hold back her soft whimper of adrenaline laced expectancy, waiting to see if Blaise's theory would be correct, and they had achieved their phase one goal after many long months of work. And, when she was positive she would implode with anxiety, at last, the potion began lightening and becoming less viscous. " _Yes_ ," she breathed, even as her adrenaline reached its peak, her heart pounding with the excitement of their work, knowing they were that much closer to creating a brilliant potion and that she had _helped_. Pride split her face into a huge, satisfied grin, even as the potion returned to a liquid consistency and lightened to a pale lilac shade. She snatched up her quill and began scrawling furiously in her notebook, describing the exact process, detailing the visual steps of transformation the potion underwent.

Her writing slowed, hand pausing at last, when she became aware Blaise was looking at her, one of those slow, top to bottom and back up looks that made her skin prickle and heart rate kick up. She looked up, wet her lips nervously, and met his gaze as it returned to her eyes. "Lily," he said, voice rough, and she realized her chest was heaving even as arousal made her flush pink and her nipples harden.

"Yes?" she said breathily, unable to resist looking down at his mouth for a beat, wondering for the seven dozenth time what it would feel like against her own.

He moved impossibly closer, almost touching her, and she swallowed thickly, even as her flush deepened, her nipples got impossibly harder, and she looked back at his dark eyes. Lily was impossibly aware of his personal body warmth, the scent of his aftershave, the strong lines of him that screamed maleness. "Do you make it a habit to sound like you're having sex while potion brewing?"

The redhead could only stare at him for a moment, before her face went bright red, and she broke eye contact. "Um, not really," she said, feeling embarrassed and silly and still achingly turned on.

He reached out and tilted her chin up with a finger, forcing her to meet his eyes again, and she barely repressed the shiver of desire as his finger skimmed, whisper soft, back down her throat. "Pity," he said, and she drew in a very unsteady breath, panties surely damp.

Blaise had never been anything except her boss, although he occasionally touched her, if they were Apparating, or he required her attention, and had even spent an entire evening with his hand at the small of her back as they attended a conference for the Society of Extraordinary Potioneers. But never, until that moment, had there ever been any sort of beyond-platonic quality to his touches. "What?" she said at last, because he was still standing there, mere centimeters from her, looking down at her as she looked up at him.

"That's a pity," he said, voice still rough, and she found the husky quality to his tone did things to her libido she didn't think would be smart to dwell on. She bit her lip as his gaze dropped below her face, his mouth quirking up in that amused little tilt. "I imagine should we be successful at our end goal, you'd be moaning loud enough to warrant a Silencing Charm."

Lily felt like moaning right then, but held in the urge. "Probably not," she found herself saying before her slightly incapacitated brain, drunk on lusty hormones at Blaise's physical presence, all her senses overwhelmed by him, could stop her.

"Oh?" he asked, smiling at her properly now.

"I doubt it," she said honestly. "The last time I had sex I don't recall moaning loudly at all." She blushed as soon as the words were out of her mouth, because she hadn't meant to say that, or anything at all in response, and mortification threatened to boil her alive. Because although that was true, she'd only really had sex once, and it hadn't been precisely enjoyable at all, but she was pretty sure if she had sex with Blaise, she'd probably need a Silencing Charm.

"Now that _is_ a pity, for certain," he said, a slight teasing edge in his voice. She sucked in a breath as he pulled away at last, her common sense returning, and she looked at her notebook again, trying to focus on her notes once more. She started writing as Blaise bottled up several flasks of potion, to be used in the next round of their project, and carefully corked, sealed, and dated the flasks before they went into storage to mature.

"We'll leave one flask to cook down, and the rest will age and mature for a week," Blaise said at last, and Lily nodded, closing up her notes and standing up off her stool as the dark eyed wizard turned to face her. "I presume you'll want to spend time with your family over the holiday, and as I've nothing else currently on the go, you won't be needed until the twenty seventh."

Lily nodded, even as a feeling of slight disappointment washed over her that she'd have to wait a week for anything, and spend an entire week of being bored sending time with her family before she could claim work as an excuse. "Alright. Since I won't see you, Happy Christmas, Blaise," she said with a small smile, and grabbed up her robes to head home.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Potter," he said. "Enjoy the time off. On the twenty eighth, we're going to Rome for a week to research some Ancient Roman potion brewing theories that I think will come in handy when we try to transmogrify our potion with the essence of dittany."

Lily's smile widened, despite Blaise's return to the very formal 'Miss Potter'. Because that was something to look forward to over her enforced holiday, and she was feeling excited about the next phase. "Okay," she said brightly. "See you."

She gave a little wave, shrugged into her robes, and Disapparated home. Blaise pushed a hand through his hair, telling himself firmly not to let her earlier admission she hadn't been brought to loud, lusty moans the last time she'd had sex feel like a challenge. It almost worked, but there was part of him, a part that had been growing stronger with every day Lily Potter came to work with him, looking as lovely as ever and full of youthful exuberance and admirable talent, that saw it as a challenge regardless. Because he'd come to realize, seeing her in his lab every day, he was attracted to her, perhaps even more than he'd been attracted to her mother in their youth.

And if he hadn't seen her, chest heaving, looking like she was going to explode, and heard her all but whimpering with pleasure as their potion had turned out as they'd theorized it would, Blaise might have been able to convince himself there was no reason to attempt seducing Lily Potter. Except he had seen, and heard, and he couldn't deny, he'd liked. She was young, and beautiful, and he'd seen for himself when they'd attended a conference for the Society of Extraordinary Potioneers that she had a perfect body under her conservative skirts and blouses she normally wore. And Blaise couldn't help but want her.

But did she want him in return? His gut told him yes, but he had little factual evidence to support that. Sure, she'd seemed not to mind when he'd been unable to resist tracing the delicate, pale flesh of her neck, his nose full of the smell of her shampoo, all fresh rain and mangoes, but outside that, there was nothing. He pursed his mouth as he tidied up his workspace out of habit, as he always did at the end of his days, and shook his head. Because there was only one way to gather factual evidence that Lily would be receptive to him seducing her. And that was to seduce her. Something he'd explicitly told Harry Potter he wasn't interested in.

Well, at the time it had been the truth, mostly. But now… Blaise sighed, even as he felt his curiosity, the same curiosity that had driven him to create his first potion, niggling. Wondering if it would be worth it. He shook his head, then cursed, because he knew he'd never have a moment's peace around her if he didn't find out one way or another.

Blaise would seduce her, and if she was receptive to it, and felt the same electric pull to him he felt for her, then he would re-evaluate his options. Until then, it seemed foolish not to at least _know_ if Lily Potter would ever be more than just his assistant. And if she would… Well, he'd cross that moral dilemma bridge if ever he got there.

Lily woke up on Christmas day alone in her bed, heart pounding, desire throbbing, the very vivid and explicit dream she'd woken from still lingering, making her groan in frustration. It had only been five days, well, four days really, as she'd just started the fifth, that Lily, in her extended separation from the sexy pureblood wizard she worked for, had been plagued by random and ever increasing sharp surges of arousal. And without fail, they culminated in highly realistic dreams starring Blaise, doing things she blushed just thinking about normally, to her. Lily groaned, because no matter how much she dreamed, or felt during the day, she was never quite able to get past that. Even last night, when she'd pleasured herself, alone and slightly embarrassed in her bed, she hadn't been able to satisfy her ever increasing libido.

The redhead threw her covers off and got up, pushing her dreams aside, vowing she'd brew up some Dreamless Sleep Potion, if only so she was rested enough to return to work. But first, she had Christmas Day to weather, with her parents and brothers for brunch and gifts, then her grandparents' place for dinner with the rest of her relatives. The redhead took a long hot shower, trying to ignore thoughts of Blaise as the hot water slithered over her naked body, and shut off the taps angrily when it was impossible. She was an idiot for lusting after him, she was positive, because even if he might find himself attracted to her, he had so many better options, it was laughable he'd stoop to sleeping with her. And Lily doubted he'd allow himself, even if he should want to, to sleep with her anyway, because she was his research assistant, and that would just be bad business.

She got dressed in comfy navy blue leggings and a nice white button down with sheer lace overlaying the modest decolletage, telling herself sternly to smarten up, and sighed at her reflection even as she wondered if Blaise would like her outfit of choice, and pulled her damp waves up into a bun. She put on earrings she'd gotten for her birthday, and the little necklace her parents had given her when she'd graduated top of her class from Hogwarts, then, because she wouldn't be working, applied the lightest touch of perfume to her wrists and neck. She smirked, putting on the barest touches of makeup, because her cousin Rose would sigh and roll her eyes at her if she didn't bother like she did most days, and sighed one last time. She got her gifts for her family together, feeling resigned she'd be stuck doing the 'family time' thing all day, instead of working, which she would've preferred, and not just because that would include Blaise.

Lily then Apparated to her parents' house and pasted on a smile as she hefted her bag inside and stomped the snow from her boots to a chorus of Happy Christmas from her family, all of whom were already there. She lifted her brows, because there was a very pretty blonde witch sitting next to James, who appeared to be his girlfriend, and Lily wondered how long that had been going on for. Once again, it seemed, her family was doing things without anybody bothering to tell her, and she told herself it didn't matter.

"Happy Christmas," she said brightly, moving to hug her parents, who were standing by the mantle along the grand fireplace with Albus and Scorpius.

"Lily, honey, you look lovely," her father said, and the redhead smiled, even as Albus snorted.

"You look like you're going to church," he teased.

"Not everyone enjoys dressing in as little clothing as possible, Al," Scorpius teased.

"Oh my Godric bloody Gryffindor, Scor, for the _last time_ ," Albus sighed, rolling bright green eyes, "I was wearing a shirt under the damn vest!"

"What?" Lily said. The blond pureblood pointed to a Christmas card on the mantle, which was a wizarding photograph of Albus and Scorpius, the former indeed looking shirtless under his bright green, fully lit, mock Christmas tree vest.

Lily laughed, even as she felt a little shocked _she_ hadn't been sent a card, not that she'd have known, because there was a stack of unopened post that teetered on her kitchen counter. "Nice, Al," she said, and laughed some more.

"It's a long sleeved shirt!" Albus snapped, putting back some eggnog that was probably spiked. "You just can't tell in this picture!" He shot his lover a dark look, "Which _someone_ wasn't supposed to use for the card."

"I couldn't resist," Scorpius said with a chuckle and a smirk.

"I like this photo, and I believe you, Albus," Ginny said, even as Scorpius kissed Albus's pout. "You both look so happy."

"Albus is probably thrilled because he's dressing like a slut," Lily teased, but hugged her brother and Scorpius before going to greet her eldest brother. "Hey, Jamie," she said, leaning down to hug him, because he didn't bother to stand up from his seat for her.

"Happy Christmas, Lils. Did you dress up because it's Christmas or because we're going to Gran's later?"

"Both," Lily replied with a chuckle, and pointedly looked at her brother's date. "Hi, I'm Lily," she said, smiling at the blonde witch who sat on the sofa beside James. The other girl, who seemed younger than even her, looked at her appraisingly.

"You work with Blaise Zabini, right?" she said, and Lily shot James a questioning look.

"Um, yes," the redhead replied. "Sorry, I don't think I caught your name," she added stiffly, because the girl giggled.

"My bad," the blonde witch said. "I'm Emily Edwards." Lily forced herself to keep smiling as she sat down in the armchair across from the other witch, who giggled again, already deciding she didn't much care for James's girlfriend. "I work at _The Daily Prophet_ , and I've been writing an article about Zabini, actually."

"Em," James said softly, and Lily's brows pulled together.

"I'm just asking the girl some questions, James," Emily said, and kissed his cheek. "Is it true Zabini's been single since October?" she asked casually.

Lily shot James a dirty look. She knew he still didn't approve of her working for Zabini, for whatever reason, but to date a gossip journalist who was going to try to get information out of her? That seemed low. "I have no idea," she replied honestly. "I work with him, I don't coordinate his social calendar."

Emily smiled. "Interesting," she said. "You were photographed with him at the Society of Extraordinary Potioneers conference last month." Emily flashed her a look that said there wasn't any point trying to refute the speculation.

"I know. I was there," Lily replied, eyes narrowing, because she didn't like the implication this woman was making, that _she_ was the reason Blaise was apparently single. Because she doubted she was, although a large part of her warmed at the idea and a sliver of her felt disappointed, because she wouldn't mind at all if it _were_ true. That Blaise was single because he was keen on _her_.

"So you went as his date?" Emily pushed, and Lily laughed.

"Nice try, Miss Edwards. No, I went because Mr. Zabini is sponsoring me in becoming a member of the Society, actually," she said. Blaise had said she had the makings of a true member, and had offered to bring her so she could become an Honorary Member, which meant his own status would be elevated to an Executive Member, because she'd be considered his apprentice. And whenever she should successfully invent her own potion, she'd be granted full membership, which would elevate her boss further, to becoming a Senior Member, which was a most coveted title, apparently. The redhead stopped smiling, "Although I'm certain you already know that. It is public record, after all."

Edwards sat back, still smiling, but her blue eyes were appraising Lily again. The redhead looked at James, this time with poorly veiled derision. "You too, Jamie," she said, getting up.

"Me too, what?" James asked, trying for nonchalance. Lily, who wasn't dumb enough not to think James had brought this woman on purpose, to remind her there were probably lots of people who thought her an easy lay for a rich, handsome, brilliant wizard, and nothing more.

"Nice try," she said, and rumpled his almost tamed hair as she passed by. She knew James wanted her to simply strike out on her own, and start her own career and not have everyone think her a paid plaything, but she wanted all the knowledge access to Zabini's work and vast research library would provide. And the selfish, craven side of her wanted to keep working for him to be near him every day, even if she couldn't have him. "Hey, Mum," she said, feeling a little devious as she smiled. "You should get out the baby pictures of James. I bet Emily would just _love_ to see them, don't you think?"

XXX


	3. Chapter 3

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Lily sighed, glad to back on British soil after her latest travels, spending the last week in Rome where she hadn't seen any of the sights, been stuck inside for the duration, not only because it was raining most of the time, and surrounded by stacks of dusty old parchment, none of which were translated, with only a geeky little wizard with a severe case of spattergroit as her translator. All in all, it had been almost awful, but Lily had to admit, it wasn't a total write off. Blaise had rented a little apartment-sized villa for them, which had meant they'd shared a room, if not a bed, and she'd probably eaten at least her own body weight in pasta that tasted like it was from heaven, and had some very excellent wine to go with it whenever she ate.

And then, on the last night, when the rain had finally let up for an evening, Blaise had taken her to dinner at a very posh Muggle restaurant, and then they'd walked the beach afterward, arguing over whether Alfonso Venicci, a legendary potioneer from the last century from Rome, should be credited as a world-class potioneer, even though he'd stolen most of his ideas from others. All in all, despite Lily telling herself otherwise, it had been a perfectly romantic evening, and even if Blaise had chuckled at her, accusing her of drinking too much wine, when they at last got back to the villa and she'd flopped into bed fully clothed, she'd had an amazing time.

She unpacked her bag as she ran the tub to take a bath once she'd gotten herself home properly, and thought back to Blaise that morning, on their return trip. They'd gone by private, non-stop Portkey, and Lily had noticed Blaise seemed distinctly thoughtful all morning while they packed to leave Rome, and Lily made sure she had all her notes in order. And then, when they'd gotten back to England, instead of going to his lab like she'd assumed, Blaise had told her he expected to see her early the next morning, and then abruptly walked away from her. Which had stung, and left her wondering just what she could've said or done that would make him so upset with her to simply dismiss her for the entire day.

Lily sighed and pushed those thoughts aside, then stripped her clothes, tossing them in her very full laundry hamper, and tested the water temperature of her bath before shutting off the taps and making to climb into the bubble filled tub. She paused, thinking she'd probably want a good book to read while she soaked away her aching back, and turned to go get the novel she was reading from her night stand. When the redheaded witch got back to her bathroom, she paused to look at herself nude, something she didn't often do, in the mirror.

She stared critically at the little pinch of fat on her stomach, vowing to start eating better after her pasta diet, and then turned sideways to critique her assets. Her breasts were round, and fairly full, and although they looked pretty good head on, she noticed they were just starting to sag a little when she turned sideways, probably because she'd gained weight. Not much, just enough to plump up her normally lithe frame, but enough that she noticed. The redhead sighed, then looked at her bottom. Which normally, at least recently, hadn't been very noteworthy. But it appeared she might just be getting chubby, because her brows shot up at the full curve of her backside. That was almost too much ass! She shook her head, vowing to start exercising too, and climbed into the tub with her book, trying not to think about why she wanted to look her best. Because she was fairly certain it was directly related to her growing attraction to Blaise Zabini.

She'd finally, after long months, started to relax around him, and his name came readily to her lips nowadays, even if part of her was still intimidated at his prestige and brilliance. But Lily had to admit, she felt almost entirely comfortable with Blaise now, and even if her skin still prickled deliciously, and her nipples got hard when he looked at her with sometimes frank appreciation, she had become accustomed to his presence too. It had become commonplace for him to brush her arm, or touch her elbow, and Lily hadn't questioned his motives at all for any of it. Even when she'd wept at their disastrous first flask of test potion two that he'd followed her tentative idea with, to its demise, and he'd hugged her and stroked her back comfortingly.

But now, it seemed, something had changed for him, if the reaction she'd gotten as soon as they got back to Britain was any indicator. Lily blanched, because what if she had, inadvertently, revealed her growing attraction and desire for him!? That was tantamount to death by embarrassment, or at least termination of her employment, if not her whole career! Oh sweet Merlin! She tried to fight the urge to burst into tears at that, and took a deep breath. She couldn't very well just owl Blaise and demand he explain himself. She had no hold over him at all, and he wasn't accountable to her in any way, but Lily hated the not knowing why he'd seemed so displeased. It reminded her of her first day back in England the last time, when she'd been informed, not so nicely, Blaise didn't require her, so she would be compiling research notes. The redhead forced Blaise from her mind yet again, hoping she wasn't going to become obsessed with him, and forced herself to concentrate on her murder mystery novel. It mostly worked.

She got to work earlier than early the next morning, going straight to his laboratory, but, as she'd assumed, Blaise was already there, one of the flasks sitting in a cauldron with a neat fire beneath it, chopping herbs efficiently. "Good morning," she said softly, shucking her robes and pulling out her very thick notebook.

"Not yet," Blaise said, and glanced up at her from his chopping, dark eyes intent. "You're wearing perfume," he said instantly. Lily barely bit back the expletive. She'd put it on after her bath the day before without thinking, because she'd done it on her days off, and apparently Blaise Zabini's nose was refined enough to smell it halfway across the room. It was rule one of potion brewing that outside smells, like perfume and cologne, and sometimes even scented deodorant, for the sticklers, was a no-no, because they could skew a potioneer's sense of smell, which, in some cases, could end in disaster.

"Sorry," she said, and made to use a good round of Freshening Charms on herself, that would hopefully remove the traces of foreign smells.

"Wait," Blaise said, and moved toward her, breathing in her scent, and Lily tried not to get turned on as he leaned into her personal bubble. "Let me guess it," he said. "I like to keep my nose sharp." Lily held stock still, and let out a soft, shaky breath, when his head turned in toward her neck, and she almost felt Blaise's nose brush her, even as part of her wondered how he would know enough female perfumes to guess hers. "You have exquisite taste," he said softly, "because it suits you perfectly, Lily. Fresh, vibrant, and bright; a little hint of citrus, some green tea extract, and a floral whiff of Casablanca lilies." She all but gulped, because he was talking in a low voice, almost right against her ear, and she couldn't help but remember the dream she'd had the night before, and how he'd whispered the most deliciously naughty things into her ear while pleasuring her.

Lily blushed. "You have a great nose," she said in a whisper.

"I know," he said, with the air of stating fact, not boasting, and pulled back to smile at her. "And you're wearing Enchanteur."

"I am," she admitted, and Blaise's eyes moved down to her mouth.

"It really is a good perfume for you," he said again. Lily sucked in a breath, because she'd never much thought about it. She'd simply tried a sample, and loved it, and asked for it for her last birthday from Albus. But the way he'd said it, like a connoisseur of wines tasting a particularly good, and rare, vintage, made the hairs on her arms stand up and her pulse burst into a rapid tattoo.

"Thank you," she breathed.

"Thank _you_ ," he murmured, and his full mouth tilted into the amused half smile that she liked best of all, and the redheaded witch barely held back from kissing him. "There are few things better than a witch who smells the way she should."

That rubbed Lily's slightly feminist side the wrong way. "The way she _should_?" she repeated, arching a brow.

Blaise merely smiled. "Yes. The way she _should_ , Lily. Like a woman, and one who knows precisely what perfume to wear to make a wizard want to devour her."

Lily's mouth parted at that, eyes widening, even as she dropped her gaze, because that sounded decidedly like a compliment, and also hinted that he might be said wizard who would apparently want to devour her. She couldn't hold back the little shiver of pleasure that skated across her nerve endings and made goosebumps erupt on her arms at that thought. Blaise devouring her. Her nipples hardened, and she forced the thought aside, trying to remain rational and normal. "Oh," she said, because really, what the hell was she _supposed_ to say after that comment?

"You can wear your perfume, Lily," he said, and turned to the latest experimental batch of potion. "I'll get used to it."

The redhead bit her lip, and nodded, even though she doubted she'd even be able to look at her perfume after his description of how she apparently smelled wearing it. "I don't have to-" she began, but the Blaise looked over his shoulder at her, and arched a dark brow, his mouth slowly tilting into a grin as his dark eyes roved down her.

"Wear the perfume, Lily," he said with a hint of steely authority, and the redhead blushed as she licked her lips, but nodded.

"Sure," she mumbled, and focused on work with steadfast dedication as Blaise turned back to his potion and began speaking as she took notes.

January slowly melted into a sodden February, and Lily celebrated her twenty second birthday quietly on the eleventh, after working hard all day, her and Blaise getting no closer to solving the problem of ruining their delicately balanced potion from stage one with the required amount of dittany. And then, two days later, after another long day spent arguing theories and Lily rolling her eyes silently when Blaise went and did whatever he liked, despite her opinions, he told her abruptly she needn't bother coming in the next day.

Lily, who was going to tell her boss she didn't really care if he didn't listen to her ideas, which usually backfired worse than his did, said firmly, "Why not?" at that announcement, all but slamming her notebook shut.

Blaise looked up at her in surprise. "Tomorrow is Valentine's Day," he said, and Lily barely refrained from rolling her eyes again.

"Okay," she said patiently instead. "Why don't you want me coming in? Are you mad because I _told_ you that just throwing in concentrated oils would curdle it? I wasn't trying to tell you what to do," she said quickly, "I just knew it wouldn't work, because it didn't work when we used the lightest possible broth."

Blaise shook his head slowly, and then chuckled at her. Lily frowned, because she wasn't trying to be funny. "No," he said after a moment. "I merely assumed you had plans."

Lily's brows pulled together. "What?" she said, confused. Why the hell would she want to be anywhere but with-?

"I assumed you made plans with some sort of significant other, or a date, for Valentine's," he said, looking at her searchingly. "Have you?" he asked suddenly.

"No," she said. Blaise frowned.

"Why not?" he demanded. "You're a young woman in her prime. Why on Earth wouldn't you at least have a date for Valentine's?"

Lily blushed a tiny bit. "No one's asked me," she admitted softly, then quickly added, "and anyway, I don't much care, because I'd rather be-"

"What do you mean, no one's asked you?" he demanded, thoroughly interrupting her. Lily blanched a little, because she hadn't really meant to say it sounding like that, like she was depressed no one had. She really and truly wasn't interested, because she loved her work, and the only wizard she lusted after was where work was.

"I mean no one's asked me," Lily replied with a hint of irritation, because she didn't like the way he'd said it, as if she were somehow defective. And because she knew if she didn't go home every night and stay there, going to bed early and getting up for the next day early as well, unless she happened to see Rose or the odd time she attended Sunday dinner, she might have actually made plans. She just hadn't...really thought about it, the whole dating thing. Not since she'd started working for Blaise, anyway.

"Merlin, Lily, if I didn't know better, I might think you never got out once, in your whole life."

The redhead fought the urge to cringe at that, because that was embarrassingly close to the truth and she really _hadn't_ ever done anything remotely bad, or rebellious, or even against the rules. She'd always just...worked. At something. Whether it was school, or her own experiments, or her present job, Lily had simply worked hard and long at life. "There may have been one time," she said with an attempt at sarcasm that almost worked.

"Just once?" Blaise said, looking at her with speculation. She shrugged. "Hmm," he said, eyes roving over her in her little green suit, with her floral print blouse, wearing her perfume that made him want to peel her clothes off and taste her everywhere. He couldn't help but wonder when that was, because he was becoming entirely distracted by Lily Potter, and the fact she seemed impervious or oblivious to a wizard intentionally flirting with her. Hell, he'd been doing it for a month, and still, she'd never once made any hint that she registered he was flirting with her, or that she disliked him doing so. She'd only blushed, and been adorable, and mostly seemed like she was convincing herself not to react.

Maybe she was a bit of a prude, and couldn't admit she wanted a more than professional relationship? No, that wasn't it, it didn't feel right. Lily cussed like a sailor under her breath, there was no way she was a prude. So perhaps she was just not attracted? No, that seemed illogical. Blaise was a fit wizard still in his prime and knew he looked good, especially for his age, and obviously she admired his skill in their chosen field. Ah, perhaps that was it. She was afraid to push the boundaries of their relationship, despite what he felt was an obvious attraction from both ends, because he was her mentor, and had pretty much taken her into his confidence and begun teaching her the necessary skills to potioneering as a career. That might very well be it.

"When was it?" he asked at last, and watched her eyes widen.

"What?" she mumbled, clearly trying for time to avoid telling him what he suspected was the truth. He frowned, and decided not to play fair.

Blaise moved toward her as she sat there, legs crossed primly in her skirt that was only slightly riding up her creamy thigh, on her stool, not looking at him. "When was the one time you got out and did something _bad_ , Lily?" he rumbled, standing firmly in her personal bubble, watching her chest start to rise and fall a little faster, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.

"I don't think you need to know something that personal," she said, still not looking at him. He tilted her chin up to look at her properly, and watched her bite her lip. His finger smoothed down her neck, just as it had last time, before Christmas, only this time, his digit traced the line of her esophagus over her flesh with deliberate pressure, right down to the collar of her blouse.

"How personal?" he pushed, and Lily swallowed.

"Ultra personal," she said, and looked away. "Look, I can come in on time to work tomorrow, all right?" she said, trying to sound stern and like she was in charge of herself.

Internally, Lily was trying not to think about the fact Blaise's fingertip had come within inches of her cleavage, even as she'd wished her neckline was much lower. It was impossible. Because he'd touched her, with purpose, and deliberation, and she couldn't help but want to melt all over him, half hoping he'd kiss her.

"Very well," the pureblood wizard said, and she let out a soft sigh. She glanced up when he didn't move away from her, and into his dark brown eyes that looked warm as melted dark chocolate. Her breathing hitched as he brushed a delicate thumb across her lips. "Pity," he mumbled, as if to himself, then turned away and began tidying up his Potions tools that littered the desk. Lily licked her lips then stood on shaky legs and, with a last peek at Blaise's back, Apparated home, trying not to dwell on the fact he'd looked almost disappointed, probably because she couldn't get a date for stupid Valentine's Day.

Blaise couldn't stop wondering what in the hell Lily Potter could have ever done that might be construed as bad, but none of his ideas seemed to fit. And he couldn't stop thinking about how delicious her mouth had looked, and how close he'd come to simply kissing her. Surely that couldn't be so wrong, right? He was trying, with little success apparently, to seduce her, even though she seemed not to notice, or was very determined to not notice at least. But maybe Lily needed something obvious.

Blaise sighed, pushed a hand through his hair, and paced his laboratory, trying not to think about Lily, or how damn good she smelled, or how frequently she starred in his dreams at night, playing lead actress for his darkest fantasies. The only thing was, he didn't want to offend her, or lose her as his assistant, a role he'd come to depend upon her for recently. Because if he could have Lily Potter, and somehow never have another living soul know, he'd be luckier than any wizard had a right to be, Blaise was certain.

Two weeks later, Lily was back in his lab, looking and smelling perfect, several tendrils of hair escaping her bun, and her robes and little jacket discarded. They'd been bickering, almost, over whether Lily's idea to try cooling the potion, instead of heating it, might be the key, and Blaise was starting to feel distinctly grumpy. Which he also knew was because he was a workaholic and hadn't bothered, recently, to keep up the facade of dating women he only slept with. The dark haired and dark eyed pureblood was all but positive that was the reason he felt so tense and grumpy, especially because he could see a hint of Lily's cleavage from her modest two buttons undone, and it was wreaking havoc on him. He hadn't been with any other witch since his return from Rome, consumed and preoccupied with Lily and her many intriguing facets with nothing to relieve his tension in the meantime.

"I need to make a tea," Lily said after a long silence between them, feeling on edge and exhausted, hating that their problem seemed insurmountable. Blaise merely hummed, and Lily quickly got herself the required necessities for a super quick cuppa. She heated the water in her mug with a quickly muttered Heating Charm, and dropped the tea bag into the cup, sighing, feeling a bit better even just holding her tea. She toyed with the little string attached to her teabag, absently dunking the bag in and out of the hot water, attempting to darken her tea enough as she tried to think of a new argument to defend her theory.

"You're steeping your tea," Blaise said in a funny sounding voice.

Lily blinked. "Yeah. Uh...sorry?" she said, giving him a weird look, because he was grinning widely.

"Oh no, Lily," he said. "You're a bloody fucking genius, sweetheart," he said thickly, and the next thing she knew, he'd pulled her up off her stool, and just as she was about to berate him for it, he leaned down and kissed her.

The redhead froze, part of her terrified, and then, because she wanted him so bad it almost hurt sometimes, she melted against him, and her mouth softened beneath his, parting hesitantly as his lips moulded hers, kissing her hungrily. Lily felt her brain short out as fucking _finally_ she knew exactly what it felt like to be kissed by Blaise Zabini, and then he pulled back, just after his tongue darted out to taste the seam of her lips.

"What the hell-?" she began, intending to demand what he was doing stopping, but then she realized he was holding her waist, almost pressed to her, and she lost her breath when she looked up at him.

"That's how we do it," he said with fervor, dark eyes alight. Lily felt her heart racing.

"What-?"

"The potion!" Blaise said, and she blinked stupidly again, her dazed brain trying to comprehend what he was saying in the wake fo that kiss. "We're going to steep the herbs. That way, instead of putting anything foreign into it, we're just _infusing_ it with the necessary qualities of our herbs."

Lily smiled slowly, because that seemed smart. Brilliant even. Almost as brilliant as feeling Blaise holding her, or kissing her, whether it was simply because she'd unwittingly gotten him to the right conclusion, or, she dreamed, more. "That _is_ genius," she said at last, and Blaise grinned at her.

"Welcome aboard, Potter," he said teasingly, and chucked her under the chin. Lily, who didn't even much want tea anymore, began talking rapidly with Blaise about what to use to contain the herbs they wanted to steep, and she made some notes on what they might need, especially when Blaise mentioned a metal steeper might work best.

And by the end of the afternoon, after Lily had fought hard to contain her apparently unconscious noises of anticipation as they steeped the herbs into their carefully heated potion, they had successfully reached their phase two goal. The underlying potion had been created, the herbs had been steeped in to perfection, and now, all that was left was the trickiest bit of it all. Making sure it worked.

The redhead couldn't contain herself after they'd bottled up all the carefully steeped potion. "Don't get too excited," Blaise warned her. "We'll have to keep a careful watch for any sign of expiring, and testing is going to be a long hard road." Lily nodded, because he'd probably been down it more times than he could count, so he'd know. But she was excited and proud nonetheless, and feeling entirely fantastic anyway, because right then, she could simply bask in her shared accomplishment. Sure, she was only the assistant, and she wouldn't even get credit most likely, but _she_ would know how much time and effort she'd put into making their potion work. "Come, let's celebrate," he said decisively, and reached out for her jacket and robes, handing them to her.

"What?" Lily said softly. "What do you mean, 'celebrate'?" she asked, because she reckoned that could encompass a variety of activities, some she was hoping for more than others. Blaise smiled.

"I mean, Lily, let's go out, together, to celebrate the accomplishment we've had." His head tilted a little. "Unless you have other plans?" he queried softly, only being cruel on purpose a little, because he wanted some kind of action, or assertion, or something other than her baffling silence.

"No," she said crisply, and he almost smirked. That was more like it. "But I'd like to know what kind of celebrating you're talking about. I'm not really a drinker, and I can't dance, and I-"

"Lily," he interrupted, enjoying her slight glare as she stared up at him. "I meant dinner. I have no desire to see you intoxicated, and I too don't enjoy dancing." Blaise didn't mention his preferred method of celebration would be taking her to his bedroom for the rest of the evening, if only because he was beginning to think that might just be the only thing that would cure him of his rapidly growing attraction to her.

"Oh," she said, looking adorable and baffled, and Blaise found himself wondering if perhaps her responses were based on a lack of experience. "Sure, dinner sounds good," she said, quickly sliding into her suit jacket and then her thick, very nice peacock blue winter-weight robes. Dark eyes slid down her frame, then he reached out and fastened her robes for her, and held out his hand so they could Apparate.

They reappeared, after turning through time and space, in a dimly lit alleyway somewhere in London, a light drizzle misting them, and Lily's breath plumed out in the damp, chilly air after she'd sucked in lungfuls of air after the compression of Apparating. "This way," Blaise said, still holding her hand, which made Lily smile and something inside her melt into a molten, liquid fire, as he pulled her to the mouth of the alley.

Two minutes later, they'd slipped into the Leaky Cauldron, and Lily made to unfasten her robes as Blaise finally released her hand, but he merely made his way through the pub toward the back door. Lily followed, and then her brows lifted after they'd stepped into Diagon Alley and headed down Knockturn Alley. Because if he was taking her to dinner, and they were going down the slightly still unsettling area of Knockturn Alley, that could only mean-

"You walk surprisingly fast for a little thing, Miss Potter," Blaise teased as they stepped under a portico for the best wizarding restaurant in London. And Lily couldn't help but feel intimidated, because if Blaise managed to get in and get a table, without any apparent reservation, there was no way she could ever take off her robes, because she was _so_ not dressed properly. _Ma Petite_ was a relatively new restaurant, thoroughly exclusive and and horribly snobby, and the only people Lily knew who'd actually dined there were her parents, last year, on their anniversary. Her father had booked his reservation three months in advance, and had probably only _gotten_ a reservation at such short notice because he was _Harry Potter_. Lily didn't know if Blaise Zabini, even though he was far from a nobody, could just waltz in without any reservations at all. "Take your hair down," he instructed, even as they walked up to the doorman, bypassing the line outside the door.

Lily took her hair down, stashing the pins in her pocket, and pushed both hands through the mass of waves and curls that tumbled around her shoulders, wondering if her boss was daft. Her hair was a bane upon her existence, because while she rather liked the colour, it was usually a mess if she left it down. And after being up in a bun all day, and with the humidity, she was convinced it was frizzy and out of control.

Blaise smirked a little at her, twirled a curl around one long finger teasingly, and said, "You have lovely hair."

Her cheeks went pink, and before she could thank him, feeling a little embarrassed, because she doubted her hair currently looked lovely at all, they'd reached the doorman, and Blaise pulled her close against his side, one arm casually around her waist. "Mr. Zabini," the doorman said with a nod and a smile, and shock had Lily's brows shooting up as he waved them politely through the front doors, after opening them.

The host, an attractive young wizard with very white teeth and boy-band hair, all but beamed at them as they approached his little podium. "Welcome back, Mr. Zabini," the host said, and clicked his fingers. A House Elf appeared, wearing a proportionately tiny little jacket and short pants, his tuft of fluffy white hair carefully combed, a serving cloth over one thin arm. "Morty will show you to your table," the host said as the little creature bowed respectfully.

"I'll expect my usual table," Blaise said imperiously, and the elf bowed low again.

"Right this way, sir," it squeaked, and Lily, still stunned and thoroughly shocked they'd simply strolled into the most fussy, high class restaurant in the city and were being brought to a table, when the average witch and wizard had at least a six month wait to get in the front door. They finally stopped, at one of the better tables in the establishment, in a dimly lit alcove lighted only by candles, the silverware gleaming, the crystal sparkling. Lily felt distinctly inferior among the opulence.

"Thank you," Blaise said, shedding his robes and handing them to the elf. The creature turned expectantly toward Lily, and she simply stared back, then realized there was nothing else for it. Most of the other witches she'd seen as they walked through the restaurant had been dressed to the nines. Many of them looked like they had strolled out of fashion magazines. Lily did not feel at all in their league, even as she took off her outer robes and handed them to the little elf, still mute in shock she was in the posh restaurant, about to dine on the best wizarding fare available, according to the reviews she'd heard.

"Thank you," she said at last to the elf, who bowed, then disappeared, even as another cracked into existence in the same moment, wearing the same uniform and bearing a wine list. Lily almost jumped when Blaise's hand went around her lower back, and looked up at him as he guided her toward one of the chairs. The furniture slid out from the table for her and her boss pushed her in as she sat, still blushing, feeling overwhelmed.

"Would sir like to choose a wine?" the House Elf squeaked, holding out the list as Blaise seated himself, perpendicular to her.

Blaise flicked his fingers dismissively at the list being held out. "We'll have the Chardonnay," he said easily. The wine elf disappeared and Lily tried to focus on breathing properly and keeping her face neutral, trying to hide the fact she was about one more House Elf appearance away from having an anxiety attack. "You look like you've never been in a restaurant with proper wait staff before, Lily," Blaise teased.

Lily swallowed and met his dark eyes. "I haven't," she said honestly.

A dark brow lifted slowly. "Then again, you are only twenty one," he said, shrugging.

"Twenty two," she corrected. "But as that's a recent change, I suppose I won't get offended," she said, trying to sound teasing herself.

Blaise smiled at her. "Then I suppose I won't get offended you haven't thanked me for broadening your horizons." She opened her mouth to retort back she had no intentions of thanking him, because this had all been his idea, but just then both house elves appeared, one pouring the wine, the second presenting them with menus to order appetizers and entrees.

Lily blinked, because the menu was in French, but after a quick shifty, where she noted there were no prices anywhere, she ordered, then Blaise ordered, and the elves left them to their wine. The redhead drank for something to do with her hands, nerves assaulting her as Blaise merely stared intently at her for several moments. And then his mouth curved up, he lifted his own wine glass, and held it up to toast her. "To brilliance," he said softly, and Lily lifted her own glass.

"To tea once again solving life's problems," she said instead, because she hardly thought she'd been brilliant, even if he was. He clinked his glass gently against hers.

"Well said," he agreed, and they drank. Lily wet her lips, wanting to ask him about the kiss before, because it was creeping into her mind every time she let her guard down, her mind replaying every perfect second back, and she just _had_ to know if it meant anything. She doubted it did, and it was probably just an expression of mingled joy and relief they'd stumbled across the solution. But she hoped it might. She longed for it to be because he simply wanted her the way a wizard wanted a witch, since the dawn of wizarding kind.

"Um, about before," she said, unable to meet his eyes properly, absently twirling her wine glass in nervous fingers. "When, you know, um, we… Um, when, um, we…" She couldn't say it. And now that she'd started talking, she felt like an idiot, because she had no idea how to save face. The young redheaded witch could feel herself starting to blush.

"I'm going to assume by your incoherent stuttering and profuse blush, you're referring to when I kissed you," Blaise said easily, sitting back casually in his seat, and she peeked up to see him smiling that little amused half smile of his, taking a drink of wine, looking utterly handsome in his crisp white shirt, dark grey slacks and vest that had been unbuttoned. And, of course, the red tie she found herself, at times, dreaming of. With his creamy coffee coloured skin and dark features, he looked perfect to her sex-starved brain.

"Yeah," she said breathily, heart thudding fast and excited, something aching pleasurably inside her, her blush suffusing her entire body with heat. "That." She licked her lips, took a sip of the very nice wine, and asked in a whisper, "What was that for?"

"Mmm," Blaise hummed noncommittally, and she felt his dark eyes roving over her, making her nipples ache they were so hard. "That was for being the most oblivious and brilliant witch I've met in quite some time."

"Oh," she said, and could've cursed herself for the genius response even as she dropped her eyes and blushed a little more. Brilliant her arse!

"If you like," Blaise said softly, and she found herself looking up at him again, "I'll refrain from doing so should you ever display that level of brilliance without realizing it in future."

Lily sucked in a wobbly breath, because the way he'd said it made it obvious he would do it again if she would like that as well. "It just sort of...took me off guard, is all," she said lightly, trying to be noncommittal to either option, if only to protect herself from complete embarrassment by admitting she could care less why he kissed her, so long as he kept doing it.

"Which is not an answer to the question," Blaise said, looking thoroughly amused now. Lily frowned a tiny bit, mouth pursing a little, feeling defensive.

"You haven't asked a question, Blaise," she said firmly, and he chuckled, then leaned toward her.

"Touché, Lily," he said, then brushed a wayward strand of her mane of dark red, mango-scented hair from her cheek. "So?" he asked. "Are you opposed to the notion of me kissing you?" he asked, and she could barely breathe, let alone think, because his fingertips had brushed her cheek, then one had ghosted across the underside of her jaw.

"For strictly celebratory purposes?" she asked in a whisper, hazel eyes wide as she stared at him, heart pounding, chest heaving in anticipation.

Blaise smirked. "Or perhaps more," he qualified.

"I suppose not," she admitted, and her brain shorted out as Blaise leaned closer still, hand moving to cup the side of her face, fingertips sinking into her hair.

"Your level of enthusiasm is almost nonexistent with that response, Lily," he said in a soft rumble against her ear. She blushed.

"Would you prefer me to jump up and shout it from atop the table, Blaise?" she asked with a hint of the sass he'd seen for the first time in her interview, and had enjoyed teasing out of her since they'd begun working together.

"Perhaps not," he said. "But I am looking forward to you shouting the word yes for me."

Before she could ask what the deuce he'd been talking about with that, because her craven, depraved mind that couldn't seem to keep him out was hoping he meant while he turned her nighttime dreams to realities, he'd leaned in and was kissing her again. And while she was almost ready for it, it was brief, and teasing, his lips barely slanting across hers. Lily sucked in a shuddering breath, opening her eyes after he'd pulled back, and saw a House Elf Levitating two plates before itself at her elbow. "Thank you," Blaise said with flawless manners, and for a moment, Lily thought he was talking to her, but then her appetizer slid onto the table and she thanked the House Elf.

They started in companionable silence, and after awhile, conversation blossomed about their work, and the redhead spent an enjoyable evening with Blaise as they consumed one of the best meals Lily had ever eaten. The evening was topped off with sinfully good chocolate cake for dessert and a third glass of wine that definitely went straight to her head and she couldn't seem to stop smiling as Blaise signed the check and the first House Elf appeared with their robes. She lifted the garment from the little elf and made to swing them on, but then Blaise had turned her and slipped them fluidly up her arms and over her shoulders. Her breath caught as he fastened them with sure, deft movements, the backs of his fingers brushing her breasts through the fabric of her robes and her blouse, still burning her flesh with arousal.

"Thank you," she said, even as he slipped into his own robes, stepping away from her.

His mouth curved, as though he was thinking something decidedly naughty. "Come into the lab early tomorrow," Blaise said simply, even as he lead the way to the exit, an attentive hand hovering behind the small of her back. "We've lots of work ahead of us, and I want to get the worst of it out of the way."

"Okay," Lily said. They swept out of the restaurant, and into the drizzle that had steadily gotten heavier as they celebrated with dinner. "See you tomorrow then," she said lightly as they made their way back down Knockturn Alley.

"Goodnight, Lily," Blaise said, and she smiled over her shoulder at him before Disapparating with a pop. Blaise couldn't fight the smug grin as he turned into a darkened storefront, heading up a concealed staircase, thinking about Lily Potter and how she'd looked, as hesitant and eager as a virgin, before he'd kissed her at dinner. Oh yes, she was attracted. And now that he'd tasted her, Blaise knew he couldn't stop until he'd had her entirely.

He knocked firmly, in the designated pattern, at the locked door at the very top of the stairs. It opened a crack, and a red mouth tilted coyly up at him. "Blaise, you cad, it's been ages since you last visited me," the woman behind the door said, opening the portal wider.

"I've been busy, Veronica." She smiled wider at him as he brushed past her and inside, and she closed and locked the door as soon as he'd crossed the threshold.

"So I've read," she drawled. Blaise rolled dark eyes, shedding his robes, even as Veronica looked thoughtful for a beat. When Blaise looked back up, he was staring at what looked like Lily Potter, only wearing the same scant lingerie the dark haired witch had been wearing. "And if I know you, Blaise," Veronica said with Lily Potter's luscious pink mouth, "you're hoping you won't have to visit a Metamorphmagus to have your filthy way with the little Potter girl next time. Am I right?"

Blaise undid his tie roughly, frowning a little, because he didn't like that a witch who was technically a whore, even if she was successful and loaded from it, being a Metamorphmagus and able to change her appearance at will, was talking down to him. "It _has_ been an awful long time, Veronica," he said loftily, and shot her a stern look. "Long enough you seem to have forgotten that no matter your appearance, I expect the same level of respect as ever." He clucked mockingly at her. "I thought every good whore knew how to please their Dom, my pet."

Veronica laughed, a sultry little chuckle, and tossed Lily Potter's long hair. "Yes, Sir," she purred, and Blaise grunted, already rock hard.

"Take off your little costume, and get up in bed, pet," he said firmly, watching what looked like Lily complying, knowing he was destined to go straight to Hell for what he was about to do. He smiled, because he'd get a first class ticket if he ever _did_ get to have his filthy way with the real Lily, even as Blaise decided that might just be worth it.

XXX


	4. Chapter 4

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Lily spent the next month pulling sixteen hour days, most of which she spent doing the most tedious, boring work she reckoned a potioneer could be subjected to. Taking a test pool of mice and making sure they all suffered the ailment their potion was designed to combat, which made part of her feel like a monster, then testing their potion on them at various doses and making rigid, clinical notes on the effects.

Blaise had seemed unaffected when half of their mice died from their ailments after the first night. Lily cried, albeit in the privacy of the loo, and told herself sternly to stop being a bleeding heart, because they were mice, and she was making sure that, even though they died, someone else in future might not. But her boss, being a keen eyed, and exceptionally observant wizard, seemed to know she'd been affected by the apparent failure. "I told you this is the hardest part. But it will get better once we get everything fine tuned, I promise," he said softly when she'd returned from her little crying jag, and Lily swallowed nodding. And he was right.

By the end of March, they had a mostly successful trial, and Lily felt a great deal of elation. Blaise, however, seemed hungry to tackle the next project, even as their potion went for Ministry approved, and altogether secret, testing to see if it could be marketed, and get the necessary health regulations met. He explained it would be at least another six weeks before they would know anything for sure, but he expected their potion would pass all the testing well, and Lily sent off her notes with their test flask, praying he would be right about that too.

Lily had just gotten back from the Ministry on the thirtieth of the month, after they'd done the last of the necessary paperwork and handed everything of importance over, with Blaise, to his office. "I hope you're not going to be upset, Lily," he said, moving to sit behind his desk and waving her into the chair across the mahogany top. Lily sat back comfortably, crossing her legs, still feeling tense and anxious about what felt like her baby being pored over and tested by Ministry Potions Officials.

"Upset about what?" she asked.

"You won't be spending the Easter holiday with your family," Blaise said, and Lily's brow furrowed. "We're going to Athens. I've been trying, for longer than I'd like to admit, to find out a way to make my first ever potion better, and the Ancient Greeks were top notch in lust potions long before anyone thought to make a quick Galleon off them over here." Lily wondered what could possibly make Blaise's first fully qualified, top-selling potion, Amatoriis, better. It was, as Lily had learned almost first hand, a popular potion for young people who were looking to have a good time and didn't much care who with. It mimicked the feelings of lust and arousal in a person, and although it had been developed, initially, for older couples to bring the spice back to their relationships, according to interviews Blaise had done, it turned out to appeal to mostly a younger audience. And it could sometimes lead a young witch or wizard, if they had a little too much, to do things they wouldn't normally, like sleep with total strangers.

"Oh," Lily said, and hesitated, then asked Blaise what she was wondering anyway. "How do you think Amatoriis could be better?" she asked curiously. "It's pretty popular as is."

Blaise chuckled, leaning back in his chair and lifting a brow at her. "Are you a fan of that particular idea of mine, Lily?" he asked teasingly, and she blushed. She'd noticed, that ever since he'd kissed her, Blaise seemed to ask questions like that more and more frequently. Questions that made her uncomfortably aware of her sexuality, despite how much she tried to ignore it, and that skated the line between appropriate and slap-worthy.

"No," she said firmly. "I tried it once, but it's not for me," she said easily. Both of Blaise's brows lifted at that, but Lily pushed through her admission with determination. "I just don't know what could make it more appealing to the masses."

Blaise shrugged. "I initially wanted it to be the sort of potion that required a second participant. So that whoever was taking it would be taking a dose that would compliment and react with the potion taken by the other party, and would only work if both halves of the potion were taken to be used together." Lily felt her mouth drop open. Because that sounded… Well it _sounded_ fucking brilliant, but Lily had no idea how that would even be remotely plausible. How two potions could react together without actually mixing, and while ingested by two different people. It was a helluva good idea, though. And it revved up her own curiosity. "You seem intrigued," Blaise finally said, smirking a tiny bit.

"I am," she said, sitting back, turning the problem over in her mind. "That's a damn good idea. It would narrow your market, certainly, because it would be couples who'd buy it probably, in that case, not horny teenagers who just want to get laid, but I think it's a wonderful concept. And it's never been done before, right? Two halves of one potion that only work together, but separately at the same time?" She shook her head at the implications of that. "It would literally redefine Potion making."

"You see why it's been bothering me, then," Blaise said, smirking wider. "So we'll go to Athens, for a couple weeks I suppose, and see if the Ancient Greeks have the key. I saw some very promising, newly discovered records a couple years back, and I want to find out if anything more has been unearthed with them. Be here and ready to depart first thing tomorrow, Lily. Seven thirty."

Lily nodded, making a mental note to do laundry and pack. "Okay," she said, getting up.

"You're not dismissed yet," he said firmly, even as she made to turn away from his desk, and Lily paused, looking back, unable to help but feel unbearably turned on like any other time Blaise's tone hinted at command. It was the most bizarre thing, but when he spoke to her like that, even though part of her felt like telling him to kiss her ass, a larger, stronger part of her couldn't help but want to do as he said. Do whatever it took to please him. She tried not to examine those feelings too closely, because they were all tied up with her attraction and longing for Blaise, and that only made her feel desperate for him. She watched him get up from his chair, a picture of masculine grace, and her hazel eyes were drawn to the strength and power that emanated from him, as well as the magnetic lure of him strictly as a man, as he came around the desk toward her. "We'll be staying at my personal residence just outside Athens, which will require, should you need to enter without my direct assistance, a blood sacrifice to pass through my security wards."

Lily looked up at him. "A blood sacrifice?" she asked, wondering why Blaise would need such a barbaric type of security ward.

"The side effects of buying a structure and grounds that are several hundred years old. The enchantments for the grounds are a little old fashioned, but too effective to remove," Blaise said with a light shrug.

"So you need my blood?" she asked.

"A small sample will be required, yes. Just as a precaution, of course. I don't foresee a time when you should need to enter without me present."

"Okay," Lily said easily. "Do you want it now?" she asked after a brief pause.

Blaise's mouth flickered with amusement for a beat. "Certainly, if you're amenable." Lily shrugged, and only flinched a little when Blaise twirled his wand and a silver dagger dropped into his left palm. He put his wand away and grasped the knife, reaching for her own right hand. Lily winced, looking away, never having liked the sight of her own blood leaving her, and braced herself. She felt a tiny prick on her fingertip, and Blaise applied gentle pressure to the digit, capturing a few drops of her blood in a tiny crystal vial he'd taken from his vest pocket.

The redhead was afraid to peek until it was over, but her eyes flew open in the next second, because Blaise had licked her fingertip to stem the blood flow and then wrapped a smooth little bandage around it with his wand. "You don't like the sight of blood?" he teased. Lily forced a shrug, trying to pretend she wasn't irrationally aroused by having his tongue touch her, even just her fingertip, even though she was pretty sure her knickers were wet, and her nipples were achingly hard.

"Not when I'm the one bleeding," she said thickly, her eyes meeting his after watching his full, sensual mouth unfurling into a smile.

"Such delicate sensibilities," he said teasingly, voice husky, and kissed the corner of her mouth lightly, making her lips tingle and her arousal flash painfully hot. "You're dismissed now, Miss Potter."

"Goodnight, Blaise," she said, her tone far more inviting than she'd meant, and turned away from him with difficulty, because a large portion of her wanted to stay right there with him, breathing in the smell of him, her body tensed with desire she couldn't act upon.

"Not yet," he said as she Disapparated, and he pushed a hand through his hair. He'd become, thoroughly and entirely, in lust with Lily Potter, despite the fact she was employed as his assistant, and despite the fact he wasn't supposed to want her. She was smart, sexy, and the perfect amount of blushing hesitance. But something was holding her back, and he wanted her to submit to him of her own free will, not because he used his considerable talents of persuasion to have her.

He could barely hold back, though, when she was right there before him, her eyes telling him to have his way with her, her body rigid and unyielding. He'd almost lost control just moments ago, and snogged her silly right there in his office, and not only because she was so bloody tempting. But because she'd been adorable, with her face scrunched up, eyes averted fearfully, when he'd taken the tiniest amount of blood from her. Godric fucking Gryffindor, she was proving to be an enigma, but he couldn't resist trying to peel away all her layers until he found the woman within the smart, sensible witch. And he had a feeling, after long months of waiting and patience, and slow, deliberate steps to seduce her, she was about to come around. And he would take a great deal of pleasure whenever that time came, from Lily Potter. Of that he was all but certain.

Lily owled her brother Albus, and by default, Scorpius as well, about how she'd be going out of town, and she needed them to tell her parents why she would be absent at Sunday dinner. She supposed she could simply owl her parents directly, but she didn't want the inevitable Floo call that would follow. She knew her father would be a grump about Zabini overworking her and depriving her of her family, and her mother would be disappointed and not so subtly wonder if everything was still strictly platonic between her and her employer. Which, when Ginny had asked her last time, only a week and a half ago at the last Sunday dinner Lily went to, the younger redheaded witch had flat out lied about.

Because things between her and Blaise had probably crossed the platonic line, and they were definitely treading the murky realm between breaking the rules and remaining professional. He'd kissed her more than once, though never quite as intensely or deeply as he had when she'd made a tea and solved their problem of adding their herbaceous dittany to their potion, and seemed to touch her more than ever, but never once had anything directly crossed the line. Much to her frustration.

She could admit freely to herself she wanted more from Blaise, much more, and yet she wasn't sure exactly how to go about letting that be known. She'd never had the confidence dating required, and even though she wasn't physically a virgin, she was practically inexperienced when it came to the male of the species. And thus far, Lily had merely been reacting to the gradual changes Blaise let evolve in their relationship. She'd never been the instigator, never said really a singular flirtatious thing, at least intentionally. And Lily, because she had no clue, didn't want to do the wrong thing and ruin whatever tentative balance they had for the time being, and go back to cool indifference from her boss.

The redhead sighed, unable to stop thinking about her predicament, then started the boring, mindless task of laundry and packing, and had just finished when her brother's response arrived in the form of a Floo call. "Lily," Albus hissed from her fireplace, just as she'd put the last of her clothes, folded, into her laundry basket to put away. Her bag was sitting, packed and ready to go, on the sofa, and she was looking forward to a long hot shower and bed, feeling exhausted.

"Hi, Al," she said, moving to sit down before the fire.

"Are you daft?" Albus asked, sounding grouchy, even though he was whispering.

"Not that I know of," she said easily. "Are you going to tell Mum and Dad I won't be-?"

"I don't bloody _want_ to," Albus said petulantly. Lily frowned. "Come on, Lily. Every time I tell them you're skiving to go gallivanting off wherever with Zabini, I get the lecture you should have. About how you should protect your reputation more, and how it looks awful if you and Zabini are travelling all over the place together, doing Merlin knows what, blah blah blah." Green eyes rolled. "It's annoying."

"You mean you have to listen to Scorpius bitch about it?" Lily asked pointedly, and Albus sighed. "What's his deal?" she snapped, feeling grumpy someone she'd done more than a few favours for was so against what she saw as a perfectly fine relationship, working or otherwise, with Blaise.

"Well he's been convinced since Dad mentioned, way back in like September or whatever, right after we found out you got picked to be Zabini's assistant, Zabini might've had a thing for Mum back in the day, based on something he'd heard in school or something, that since obviously he's not going to get Mum, he'd settle for you." Lily's brows shot up, because that was kind of a slap in the face. That she'd be a suitable replacement, some two and a half decades later, for her own mother. How rude! "And, because you're like his little sister, he's convinced he has to watch out for you."

"No one needs to watch out for me," Lily snapped defensively, "because I'm a grown up, whether or fucking not I'm someone's little sister!"

Albus snorted. "Yeah right, honey. You're not a grown up just yet, Lils. Even if you're grown." Lily glared. "And Scor's just paranoid, because apparently his dad and Zabini are old friends, went to school together and whatnot, and Scor's pretty positive Zabini's almost as much of a womanizer as his old man." Albus smirked, because Lily couldn't contain the scowl of jealousy at that thought, even though Lily knew Blaise had slept with dozens of other witches before she was even born probably, and she had no claim on him whatsoever. It still rankled. "Anyway, he's probably not wrong, but everyone's just hoping you're smart enough not to fall for his charms."

Lily frowned, because she was probably the smartest one in her family, and she'd fall for whatever bloody charms she liked, whether anyone approved or not! "Still," Lily snapped, folding her arms furiously, feeling ganged up on for a wrong she hadn't even committed yet. "Tell Scorpius to sod off and mind his own fucking business."

Albus laughed. "You keep making it our business, Lils, by asking us to tell Mum and Dad you're skiving off family time. Merlin, honey, grow a backbone and just tell them yourself, and don't let them guilt you into not going off wherever with your boss." Albus grinned even as she stuck her tongue out at him. "And hey, maybe if you grew a backbone, you'd finally get good and laid like I've been telling you you need to do someday. Being a thirty year old virgin is looking like your future, Lils, and it's not a good look."

"Fuck you, Albus," she snapped, even as he disconnected from the call, his head disappearing from her fire. But Lily couldn't deny, that wasn't a half bad idea. She'd never been very brave, but maybe if she was a little braver, and maybe a little bolder, too, Blaise would realize she was interested in a more than professional relationship, even if it was against the rules. Even if it was _bad_. She'd been good most of her life, except that one time, and she was sick of always wanting and never knowing how to get. Maybe she _should_ grow a backbone.

She went to take her shower, and glanced at her reflection in the mirror on the back of her bathroom door once she'd undressed. She'd started, mostly, eating better, and was glad to see her little belly was shrinking, even if her butt wasn't just yet, but then Lily frowned, because she couldn't remember the last time she'd bothered to get a Magical Painless Wax, and the red gold curls between her thighs needed some taming for sure. So Lily took a few minutes to use a few well placed Depilatory Charms on herself, not because she expected anyone, or a specific _someone_ rather, to see her naked, just in case he _did_ , she'd look alright. Or well manicured at least.

Not that she planned to sleep with Blaise, or anyone else, in the immediate future. She shook her head as she at last went to shower, because despite her assertions to herself, she still imagined Blaise's hands sliding all over her, instead of her own. And when she went to bed that night, she still dreamed of the dark eyed wizard bringing every single one of her most repressed fantasies to life, leaving her panting and halfway to what promised to be a face-melting orgasm when she woke. She thought about the vaguely remembered bits of her dream all morning as the sun rose and her alarm finally went off.

By the time Lily finally met up with Blaise, at seven twenty five, because she simply couldn't help being perpetually five minutes early, she was grumpy from being up too early and not enough sleep and the denial of what had seemed like a damn good orgasm her dream-self couldn't even comprehend. "Always early," Blaise murmured after he bid her to enter his office. He was writing a letter, and Lily was forcibly reminded of her first day, all those long months ago, when she'd been nervous enough to puke and excited enough to implode. Now she just wanted to get to Athens to sink her frustrations into something. "If I ask you to be here at precisely seven thirty five next time, does that mean you'll show up at seven thirty, as intended?"

Lily licked her lips, because he was almost, _almost_ , talking in that stern, commanding and reprimanding voice that did funny things to her arousal and sanity. "Probably," she said, "but now that you've mentioned it, I'd probably still make it seven twenty five to spite you."

Blaise smirked, then his dark eyes flicked up to meet her gaze. "Naughty," he said roughly, and she felt her knees almost buckle, because that word should be banned from his vocabulary, unless he was going to say it, and some choice others, until she creamed her panties. It made her almost wriggle with desire it sounded so fucking good. "Are you ready to go?" Blaise asked, finishing his letter, but instead of posting it, he merely put it into a desk drawer, locked the drawer, and got up from his desk.

"Yes," Lily said huskily, because she was ready to go in more ways than one, and Blaise's eyes roved over her speculatively. She shifted a tiny bit in her navy leggings and a baggy t-shirt dress that was sleeveless, because it would probably be warm in Athens, and then Blaise looked her in the eye again.

"Very well." He reached for her hand so he could Side Along her to his Grecian home away from home, and just before she turned away into thin air, Lily felt a sharp jolt of something electric and almost painful shoot through her at the contact. Like a lightning strike to her system, a spark of something arcing between her and Blaise the second they touched. But when she appeared, outside the gates to what, beyond, looked like a sizeable villa with immaculate grounds, the feeling had faded, leaving her wondering if Blaise had felt it too, or if she was just losing it.

Blaise released her hand to pull the little phial of her blood from inside the breast pocket on his well tailored robes, allowing the contents to drip out and onto the aged metal gates. Her blood seemed to be absorbed by some kind of magical force, and Lily felt the hairs on her arms prickle, even as Blaise tapped the gates with his wand to open them and she passed through.

The redheaded witch couldn't help but be impressed as they walked up the long, scenic drive toward the villa, and as they approached the front door, she spotted a little stooped woman with greying dark hair, standing with a man who was entirely bald, only slightly less stooped, and sporting an impressive silver moustache. "Those are the caretakers for my property and house," Blaise said as the woman waved and he smirked, lifting a hand in acknowledgment as they got to the foot of the grand stone staircase that lead to the front door. "Milos and Aspasia. Don't worry, we probably won't see them. They tend to leave me to my own devices for the most part whenever I'm here."

He pointedly didn't add that any time he did visit his little slice of paradise outside Athens, he usually had a woman in tow whom he intended to spend a weekend with, being a debauched son of a bitch and using the woman for his own pleasures before dropping her on the last morning.

Lily didn't ask, even though she was dying to know, just how often he happened to drop by this bloody palace he just happened to own. She rented a tiny, if pretty decent otherwise, flat, and paid out the nose for it considering she only really slept there lately, and Blaise Zabini had Merlin only knew how many properties, all over Europe, apparently.

"This place is gorgeous," she said honestly, even if she was a little intimidated, and definitely rethinking bringing her tatty old pyjamas to wear in a place like Blaise's grand Greek villa.

"Thank you. It looked like absolute shit when I bought it, and it's taken a disgusting amount of money and a long time to bring up to scratch." Lily's brows lifted, because Blaise spoke with pride, and she marvelled that a man as brilliant as him could also buy a crappy looking relic and restore it to the glory Lily was laying eyes on, just for kicks. "Come, I'll take you on the tour," he said as they reached the front door.

"Hello, Mister Zabini. I trust you will be finding everything in proper order," the man said in stiff English. The woman smiled at Lily, who smiled tentatively back.

"Thank you, Milos," Balise said, and shook the man's hand respectfully, as he always did.

"Hello," the woman said in thickly accented English, kissing both Blaise's cheeks as he leaned down to receive them, then she looked at Lily. "Good one, this."

"Thank you, Aspasia," Blaise said, a tad dismissively, and Lily looked on, still bemused, wondering what was going on and what the little old Greek lady had meant. "Come," he said simply to Lily, one hand moving to her lower back to guide her inside his estate. The redhead heard the woman, Aspasia, say something to her husband in Greek, but if he replied, or what she said, Lily wasn't sure, because Blaise drew her forward, into a massive entrance hall, with a grand staircase. "If you'd like to unpack before the tour, I can show you to your rooms," Blaise said, the perfect host, and Lily almost laughed, because she'd probably get lost more than once.

"Sure," Lily said, and they moved toward the stairs, going up the first flight, then taking the flight that lead west, up to the second floor, and then down a long, straight corridor to the last door on the right. He opened the door into a little sitting area, with double doors across from the doorway they stood in that had swung open, revealing a massive bed, decorated all in white and soft silvery grey, and Lily felt herself let out a sigh of relief there was no chance she'd be getting her period, as she'd already gotten it out of the way a couple days ago.

"I'll leave you to it," Blaise said, and Lily almost jumped, because he was quite close, and spoke soft and seductive against her ear. But he left her to her unpacking, and Lily moved into the room, the door shutting softly behind her, and moved instantly to flop on the bed. It was soft, and comfortable, and pretty much ginormous, and she couldn't wait to sleep in it. But she was supposed to be unpacking, so she got up after a few moments, and began unpacking her little bag, resizing all her clothing after she'd shrunk them to fit in her bag and putting it all away in a little chest of drawers that looked antique, her perfume going on top, and the matching wardrobe.

She decided, after she'd finished her unpacking, to check out the ensuite and drop her toiletries bag in it, and gasped, because it was proportionately grand, like the rest of the villa, and bigger than half her flat at home. "Holy Merlin's testicles," she whispered, because it was all smooth white marble, a massive tub with jets and a dozen taps in the center of the room, and a shower stall that looked big enough for three people, let alone one, in the corner across from the double sinks. All in all, it was bloody fucking gorgeous, and with the potted palms that brought a hint of tropical greenery to the room, Lily wasn't sure she'd ever leave this place willingly. But she could take a soak in that swimming pool of a tub later. Right now she should find Blaise and figure out what they would be doing that day. If she knew him, he'd want to get to work immediately after her tour.

She exited her rooms through the little sitting room, wondering where her boss could be, and glanced into a room that was open across from hers. It was a larger sitting room than even her own, with masculine earth tones, and beyond, Lily could see what she presumed was the master bedroom. Her face betrayed a blush, because she definitely felt like she was snooping, but she wondered if maybe Blaise was unpacking as well.

"Hello?" she said softly, poking her head into the bedroom. It was deserted. She was about to withdraw her head, feeling silly, and leave, when she noticed two things simultaneously. The top drawer of the bureau wasn't completely closed and she could faintly hear the sound of a shower running from what she presumed was the bathroom door. Lily's whole face went bright red, even as she told herself it was a terrible, not amazing, idea to sneak a peek at her boss, possibly naked and showering, because that was creepy, and illegal.

She turned tail and fled out of the room, feeling embarrassed and horny in equal measure, panting hard when she finally got back down the stairs and had stumbled into a sitting room, sinking into a plush leather chair. Some measure of time later, she wasn't sure, because she couldn't stop trying to picture Blaise naked, or convincing herself it was a bad idea to see if her imagination had done him any justice after all, she heard and smelled Blaise come into the room. He sat down in the chair beside hers, before the empty fireplace. "Have you started your own tour, Lily?" he asked after a moment. Lily couldn't help her slight blush, but strove to shake off her lingering embarrassment that she'd bloody almost spied on her boss naked, or at the very least, seriously entertained the notion.

"No, just waiting," she said, and forced a smile. Lily was pretty sure Blaise saw right through her, because he didn't give any indication he was going to rise to start the proper tour he'd promised her.

"Waiting for what?" he pushed.

Lily looked down, then firmly told herself to grow a damn backbone, because if she didn't make it obvious she wanted him, Blaise might never know. Lily looked back up, and let a slow, real smile spread over her lips. "Honestly?" she drawled. "I'm waiting for today to be over so I can get undressed and take advantage of that huge bathtub in my rooms," she admitted. Blaise blinked, then laughed.

"You might even be the right size to get in some laps," he added, and Lily rolled her eyes. Blaise liked to tease her for being petite, but he wasn't precisely a giant himself at five foot eleven.

"Ha ha," she said dryly. "Hilarious. Because I'm little?" she drawled, even though she smiled a little regardless.

"You say it like you're not," he observed with amusement. Lily pouted exaggeratedly.

"I'm not _that_ little," she said, then chuckled, because he probably thought she was.

"Definitely not _that_ little," he agreed, to her surprise. "You've got plenty of things about you that are far from little, Lily."

"Thank you," she said, smiling a tiny bit, and Blaise finally stood up. She followed suit.

"You're welcome," he said lightly, and took her elbow, steering her toward the wall behind them, lined with windows. "And since this is where you've started the tour, we'll start here. These are the rose gardens, and I'm not exactly sure how many varieties we have, but it's a lot. Milos is a top notch gardener, and he's especially fond of his roses."

Lily listened, for the next half hour, as Blaise talked and they wandered through the villa, and the redhead couldn't help but let her mind wander, just the tiniest bit, and wonder just what she was doing in a place that was worth more money than she'd probably ever see in her whole life, with a wizard who was not only out of her league, but more brilliant than anyone Lily had undoubtedly ever met, except maybe her Aunt Hermione. And even then… For one brief moment, Lily doubted herself, and what the hell she thought she was doing playing at being a guest in a palace with a man she had no business desiring.

But then Blaise stopped walking, and she realized he'd stopped talking halfway down the corridor. "What are you thinking?" he asked suddenly, breaking the heavy silence, and Lily looked up at him, still holding his arm as she'd been their entire tour. She felt that same spark, only less intense, and far deeper, reverberate through her once more as she stared into dark brown eyes.

"I was wondering how I happened to be here," she said, a part truth. Blaise looked at her steadily.

"Because you're the proverbial diamond in the rough, Lily," he said honestly, in the same way he stated his own genius, or the fact the sky was blue. His head tilted a little, and his full mouth hinted at a smirk. "You have no idea, though," he murmured, reading her far too easily.

"I don't think-" Lily began, but then Blaise's hand moved to her hip and pulled her a little closer.

"Precisely," he said. " _You_ don't think, Lily. I think. I know." She could only stare up at him, half afraid to believe him, even as something warm unfurled inside her. "You, sweetheart, are the diamond in the rough, and I am the jeweller who gets to bring out your brilliance." Lily could hardly breathe, because Blaise was still holding her hip intimately, and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him, and she had no clue what to say in response to that.

"Do you really think so?" she finally whispered, because she still didn't really think she was a diamond. Maybe a rare mineral, sure, that she could buy, but to be a diamond meant she was beautiful, and desirable, and those weren't traits she'd really ever assigned herself.

"I know so," he said firmly, and she sucked in a wobbly breath, because he pulled her closer, right up against him, and her hands moved instinctively to brace against his solid chest, even as her lower half couldn't help melting against him.

"Okay," she said at last, because he was still just staring at her. "You're pretty smart, after all, so if you say so, I suppose it must be true," she continued at his silence, her foolish mouth running away from her. "You wouldn't be considered one of the best minds of the century for nothing, right? So I suppose I must be a diamond, even if I'm awfully rough still, but if you think you can bring out whatever you said about brilliance, then you're welcome to try, although I'm not entirely sure-"

She stopped speaking abruptly, because all of a sudden, Blaise was kissing her, and it was hot, and passionate, his lips moving with sure purpose over hers, tongue teasing her mouth open easily, and she couldn't resist the tiny moan as he snogged her senseless, standing there in the middle of the corridor of his Greek villa. His hands were divided between her hip and her jaw, and her own hands had wandered up his chest and over his shoulders, pulling him closer instinctively, her arousal flaring into wildfire, out of control territory.

"Lily," he said roughly, breaking away from her mouth at last, and she wanted to cry with disappointment until she felt his mouth against her neck, kissing her. "I have to know, right now, if you're interested in doing this," he said in a deep voice. She gulped, because he pulled away to look at her.

"I…" she said on a croak, and then cleared her throat, looking down, not able to meet his eyes. "What do you mean by 'this'?" she asked, trying to avoid answering, not wanting to expose herself or be vulnerable to rejection.

"I mean this," he said again, with more authority, and squeezed her hip with the hand that still gripped it possessively. "Whatever the hell this is between us. Whatever you want this to be, Lily."

"Sure," she said, trying to sound blase and like she didn't really care either way.

Blaise narrowed his dark eyes at her when she peeked back up at him, because he hadn't released her, or made any move to continue what they'd started. "No," he said firmly, and she felt herself getting more turned on than his kisses had already made her. Which, after her morning wake up call and her extended, and heated, time with Blaise, was nearing unbearable. "It will be yes, or no. Yes, you want to keep doing this, and more, and you accept that it changes nothing at all between us, except that we'll be much more physically satisfied, should things progress as I expect they could. Or no, you do not."

Lily tried to think rationally. Here it was, the question she'd been half hoping for and half dreading. She had to be honest, and not just with herself, about what she wanted. She had to admit to Blaise that she wanted him. Even though she wasn't at all sure how thing would 'progress as he expected they could'. She'd never done this, and fear had her hesitating. But then she summoned her courage and whispered, in a tiny voice, "Yes."

"Louder," he said firmly, and a painful surge of arousal jolted through her, from her breasts to her aching core.

"Yes," she said clearly, in a voice that didn't waver and sounded confident and sure of itself. Lily almost didn't think it was her for a second, but she couldn't deny it. She _wanted_. "I want to do this."

XXX


	5. Chapter 5

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Blaise barely resisted the urge to grin. Instead he leaned in and kissed Lily again, trying very hard not to completely dominate her, enjoying the way she melted against him and the soft little noises of pleasure she made. "Excellent," he said, and with a large exertion of willpower, he removed himself from Lily's person, unable to resist the grin when she pouted a little before modifying her expression. "But the fact remains, we're only in Athens a limited time, and there's work to be done."

"Oh," Lily said, looking ever so slightly crestfallen, but she smoothed over it with her efficient, business like demeanor easily. "Right. What do we have for today?" she asked, snapping from soft, pliant woman who'd just been kissed and looked dazedly pleased by it, to cool, collected professional as fast as he could blink, and Blaise wasn't sure he liked that.

But there was time for dealing with that later, or so he told himself, and began moving back toward the drawing room, where he'd found her. "You're going to the House of Records," Blaise said, and handed her a set of notes written in his flawless hand. "Find the articles that pertain to this, and find out if there's any more, and do a write up for me."

Lily nodded as he talked, looking determined, like she always did when he sent her to do the research he found tedious, while he would be working on his most secret project of all, one he had kept even from Lily, who was the most constant interaction in his days. Hell, he doubted even his House Elf at his condo, Mitzy, knew about it.

"I'll come get you for lunch," he said, because he knew she'd skip it if he didn't, and Lily kept nodding. He wondered if she was second guessing her decision a moment ago. They Apparated to the House of Records, the Greek version of a giant clusterfuck of parchment, half of which was organized as though by a tornado. Lily wanted to cry as Blaise bid her goodbye, looking around, feeling close to hopeless, half knowing she'd spend the entire fortnight in this mess, trying to find a needle in a pile of needles.

And then she met the translator, a very cute wizard with deep olive skin, dark hair, and surprisingly blue eyes. He spoke English with a faint British accent and, from what Lily knew, which was nothing, probably flawless Greek. "Hello," he said with a smile, shaking her hand when she extended her. "I'm Constantinos. I'm here to help you find what you need," he said. Lily beamed, because Greece was _definitely_ proving to be more enjoyable than Italy had been.

"I hope you can," she said, looking dubiously at the records. "This looks...like a mess."

"Mmm," he said, with a sheepish smile. "This is indeed a mess. Forgive it. I have only recently been granted access to organize, and, as you see, the job is daunting."

"Well I can help you sort as we go, looking for what _I_ need. Deal?"

Constantinos grinned. "Deal. I think we will become friends, Lily Potter."

"I hope so," the redhead said, smiling back. Because he seemed quite sweet, and passionate about his work at least. Which she admired. Blaise picked her up for a quick lunch, true to his word, and although Lily felt her heart rate kick up and her arousal flare, just being near him, he made no outward appearances of impropriety, much to her disappointment, and bid her goodbye at the House of Records once more.

Lily felt her spirits dampening, just a tiny bit, but set her shoulders and got to work quickly after she'd resumed her little position amongst the chaos, looking through some of the records that had been translated to either English or Latin, trying to scan them to see if they'd be relevant to her task. Constantinos came is as she sorted the fourth document into one of a half dozen piles around her.

"You are still working?" he teased. He'd left for lunch just before her, and Lily smiled.

"I just got back from lunch," she said, and went back to her work, not noticing the blue eyes roving over her curiously, or the appreciative smile from her translator. She was still in her leggings and the loose cotton dress, but in her seated position, half slouched, the soft fabric clung to her breasts and the sunlight that poured in from the single window lightened the already grey colour, bleaching it to almost translucent.

By the time Blaise came to pick her up, after he'd already had dinner with his financial advisor about his latest project, and how much money it would, theoretically, cost him to have marketed properly and how much the human trials, which often came with a hefty price tag, would eat away at his available cash flow. All in all, it had been a good dinner, and the seafood had been to die for, especially when he learned he'd be able to afford, even if his latest potion tanked in human trials, to eat at the restaurant again. And because his dinner had gone well, and he'd be staying clear of the poor house no matter if he had nothing but failure the rest of his career, apparently, he was in a superb mood when he Apparated to the House of Records to find his assistant.

He went through the little reception area, which was deserted, and then back into the records rooms, but in the first, which was a room filled with dozens and dozens, some even stacked on one another, filing cabinets, was empty. The second could have been a duplicate, and just as empty. At last, when Blaise opened the third door, he caught sight of his assistant. She'd undone her mane of dark red hair, and it curled and waved in wild abandon around her delicate shoulders, and was sitting on what appeared to be the floor, surrounded by teetering stacks of parchments.

A pair of intense blue eyes met his when he cleared his throat, and the wizard, who'd been reading something over Lily's shoulder, mumbled an expletive in Greek. Lily looked up, beaming, seeming oblivious to the fact there was a young wizard almost resting his head on her shoulder, his torso behind and curved intimately into her. "Blaise," she said, looking excited, which mollified his ego and calmed his flash of incoherent jealousy at seeing another man dangerously close to something he'd been wanting for too long. "I think we're getting closer!" she said with fervor.

"That's delightful," he said, sending the Greek wizard, who stood hastily, a dark look. "Time to go, Lily."

The redhead nodded, quickly muttered some spells under her breath, so she'd be able to find the documents she'd just picked up again the next day, and got her notebook and quill together. "Thanks for helping me," she said brightly to the Greek wizard, and Blaise grit his teeth a tiny bit as she hugged him briefly. The blue eyed, dark haired man smiled at her.

"You are coming back tomorrow?" he asked, obviously hoping the answer was yes.

"That remains to be seen," Blaise said darkly, and watched Lily's brows furrow, but she thanked the wizard, who was apparently named Constantinos, again, and followed Blaise out of the building, into the rapidly darkening evening. The air was still warm, but a breeze had picked up, and Blaise could see the peaked outline of Lily's nipples through her little shirt dress.

"Am I really not going back tomorrow?" the redhead asked, and Blaise glanced down at her, the wind blowing her perfume right into his nose, and he felt his lust surge. "Because it's kind of insane in there, as you saw, but Constantinos was actually quite helpful, and nice, and I kind of told him I'd help him organize things a bit in there. Until I find whatever you think we could find, anyway. Which reminds me, I think I might've found the article you were talking about, but it's still all in Greek. Constantinos said he could have a better translation ready for tomorrow, so-"

Blaise didn't want to listen to the rest. So he grasped her hand and Apparated them immediately, and quite rudely, to his villa. The appeared in the front hall, and Lily, who'd been talking, gasped and staggered sideways into him. He caught her petite frame easily until she pulled away, righting herself, with a huff.

"What the hell was that!?" she snarled. "I was in the middle of saying something!"

"My apologies. I didn't want to wait," Blaise said, amused by her outrage. She was like a disgruntled kitten. Adorably fierce.

Lily paused, blinking, obviously thrown. "Wait for what?" she asked, looking confused. She looked up, even as his mouth curved into an amused half smile that made her feel equally aroused and more offended.

"For this," he said simply, and then pulled her flush against his front. She gasped in the instant before his mouth covered hers, and his tongue pushed past her slack lips, taking ownership of the kiss, and her entire being. Lily melted, all thoughts of anger evaporating under the scorching intensity of her desire for Blaise, and his kisses, and anything else he wanted to do to her, really. Her arms clutched his neck and shoulders, lifting onto her tippy toes to get as close to him as possible, and she kissed him back tentatively.

She blushed, not wanting to open her eyes when he pulled back at last, and moaned softly, deep in her throat, as his mouth whispered across her lips again, teasingly soft, and she felt him bury both hands in her hair. "Blaise," she whispered, eyes still closed, and heard his low chuckle, felt it through his chest as his amusement rumbled into her own chest.

"Open your eyes, Lily," he murmured, lips brushing hers with the barest touch, making her nipples hard and her breathing hitch a little. His hands were still in her hair, and as he tilted her head back a little, she opened her eyes and looked at him. His dark brown eyes filled her field of vision, all hot and soft, like melted dark chocolate. "Are you hungry?" he asked softly, and Lily almost burst out laughing. Then she realized he was serious, and she did burst out laughing.

"No," she said, trying to contain her giggles, because he merely arched a brow at her, expression cooling a little. And she _was_ hungry, but definitely not for food.

"Did you have dinner?" he pushed, knowing she'd say she ate enough at lunch, and, regrettably, withdrew his hands from her hair.

"Yes," she said, frowning a little as if confused by his question. "Constantinos brought me dinner," she said. Blaise's dark brown eyes narrowed at that thought. Some other wizard making sure Lily ate, probably laughing with her, undoubtedly flirting with her, while sharing a meal with her… He felt jealousy rear its ugly head once more, greed following right behind.

"Oh did he?" Blaise said, feeling his emotions starting to run away from him.

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Why are you being weird?" she asked, brow furrowing further, before smoothing as realization struck. And then she smirked. "Don't tell me you're jealous," she scoffed. He scowled at her, but she didn't flinch.

"I'm not jealous," he said firmly, even if the acidic burn of jealousy in his stomach belied the words. "But I'd have you know right now, Lily, I refuse to share a woman, no matter who she is. If you want this, as you said, you commit solely to me."

The redhead almost glared at him. "Because you're going to do the same?" she asked with obvious sarcasm.

"Of course," he said instantly. He had outgrown having more than a singular woman to occupy his interests, and as of late, he tended to find one with enough lasting power he wouldn't require any other. Until the eventual demise of the relationship, which usually came when the witches he'd shagged and dated realized he'd never love them, or probably anyone. And if he was between women, and needed an outlet for his sexual frustration, he'd visit Veronica, but not any other. Not anymore.

Lily looked shocked by that, brows almost disappearing off her forehead, mouth dropping open. That he'd be faithful to her should they move into the realm of lovers. Lily _was_ shocked by that. She'd heard, from Albus and her own perusing of _The Daily Prophet_ , and the latter if only to see if they would try to slander her, that Blaise changed women like he changed what type of potion he would invent. Lily doubted, should she be his latest fancy, he'd resist another whenever it came along because of her, or tell her he'd even moved on. But despite all that, she still wanted, and if Blaise required monogamy from her, she could grant it. In fact, it seemed laughable easy, because Blaise was bloody sexy and she highly bloody doubted Constantinos liked her like _that_ , anyway.

"I can do that," she said at last.

"Do what?" Blaise asked, and Lily licked her lips, because he was almost talking in the sexy, authoritative voice, the one that left absolutely no room for questions or insubordination, that made her want to submit in every way to him.

She looked into his eyes. "I can be yours." She swallowed thickly, feeling unsure of herself, but sure that she wanted him, and trusting him enough to let him lead their relationship into uncharted territory for her. "And yours alone."

"Excellent," Blaise rumbled, and then he was kissing her again, pulling her against himself, and Lily groaned, feeling herself pressed firmly into every hard plane and angle of him. His lips moved with deliberate purpose over hers, drawing the plump flesh of her lower lip between his teeth and making Lily gasp. His tongue delved inside her mouth, claiming ownership, and she grasped him, clutching him for dear life as she was lost in the wave of pleasure his kisses brought, wiping away her sanity and conscience, and utterly drowning her voice of reason. He kissed her, hard and hot and rough, one hand curling into a fist around a handful of her hair, the other reaching around from his grip on her hip to grasp her ass through her leggings, hauling her closer, and Lily moaned into his mouth as her toes lifted from the ground briefly, feeling every hot, hard line of him, his arousal unmistakable as he snogged her.

"Lily," he grunted finally breaking from her mouth to kiss and nip hungrily down her neck, trying to slow his impatient urge to have her. He tore his hand from her hair to grasp her ass with both hands, loving the way her nails dug into his shoulders, even through his robes and shirt, when he lifted her against himself, then Apparated them directly to his bedroom. He would be patient, for Lily's sake, but he couldn't wait a second longer to taste her, all of her, and bring her to one screaming climax after another, until she couldn't move from his bed.

Lily, who obviously hadn't been braced for the sudden jolt through time and space, gasped, clutching him tighter, and then let out a breath. "You have to stop doing that," she said, a tiny bit chastising, but Blaise merely carried her back toward his bed, and when he climbed right up with her, she looked suddenly much younger and much less confident than she had a moment ago.

The dark haired and dark eyed pureblood kissed her lingeringly, and she moaned when he laid them back and his hands traced up her sides, enjoying the way she obviously lost herself with the slightest touches. She moaned louder still when he braced himself on his forearms, either side of her shoulders, and settled his erection, straining against his trousers, into the warm center of her, her thighs falling open even further for him, her mouth parting when he pulled back to look at her, and when he ground his pelvis into her teasingly, just enough to settle himself firmly against her sex, even through their clothing, her eyes all but rolled back in her head.

"You don't have to stop doing everything," she whispered, and he dipped his head to kiss the very top of her cleavage, peeking from her little shirt dress garment.

"I have no intentions of stopping, sweetheart," he rumbled, and then, to her dismay, he pulled back, sitting up on his knees. "Get undressed," he said firmly, and Lily had to bite her lip to stay the little grunt of wicked, molten, undoubtedly sinful pleasure that coiled within her. That slutty, _naughty_ part of her, that secretly really liked doing as she was told that she'd purposely always repressed, too intimidated by the depth of her own depravity to even examine it, all but squealed with delight at his tone of voice.

She half sat up to pull her little shirt dress off, blushing and unable to meet Blaise's eyes, and then hesitated on her leggings. Sure, her top half was good. Some might even think it was almost great, she wagered. Lily didn't like her bottom half nearly as much, though. Her little buddha belly, the fullness of her ass that announced she liked ice cream more than exercise… It just wasn't quite the same, to her, as she recalled it last being when she'd cared what she looked like. But then, just as she was about to peek up, Blaise said, "You've got to be joking me."

Lily's mouth dropped open, positive she was about to either cry or curse the bastard, because that was _not_ something to tell a woman who'd just taken her shirt off for him! "Excuse me?" she demanded after a beat, her redhead temper coming to her rescue, burning her tears up before they could form.

Blaise was grinning, and when he looked up from her chest to her furious hazel eyes, Lily gulped. Because his smile was like that of the proverbial fox in the henhouse. "You have your nipples pierced, Lily," he said roughly, clearly stating the obvious. He wet his lips and then his gaze dropped to her breasts again, in her little sheer silk bra that she liked because it was cool, and lightweight, and now that she looked, kind of really bloody slutty. Her cheeks burned dark pink, because she'd mostly forgotten that, she supposed, most women didn't have both nipples pierced, and it might be a novelty for him, even though she'd gotten so used to them she barely spared the damn things a thought.

"Um, yeah," she said, half hating being reminded of how that had come to happen, and half pleased he liked it, if his lascivious smile and hungry, unwavering stare were any indicator.

He tilted her chin up, looking at her, still smiling that sexy, sinful smile that made her unbearably wet. "Is this the result of you being _bad_ , Lily?" he asked, his voice laced with a teasing lilt and dangerously rough, his dark eyes roving between her eyes and the tempting swells of her breasts, topped with their little piercings. She groaned softly.

"Yes," she admitted in a whisper.

"Thank Merlin you got out that one time, then," he replied, and Lily was pretty sure she was going to pass out, because her breathing had gone all wonky, because Blaise flicked a hard nipple, her left one, with purpose, through the soft, see through fabric of her brassiere. "Finish getting undressed, pet," he said, and Lily bit her lip, because she automatically wanted to snap she wasn't his _pet_ , but his tone of voice, the one that made the dark and depraved part of her wriggle with delight, stopped her. There was no way she could deny that tone that didn't ask her, but _tell_ her.

She shucked her little bra, still not really wanting to strip her pants, and was positive she'd died and gone to heaven when Blaise reached out, swirling a fingertip around her right nipple, then flicking the little silver hoop she'd had put in after her piercing and never bothered to change. She moaned loud, and then louder still, because Blaise hooked his own fingers into her leggings, bunching them as he tugged them down over her hips and pulling them off efficiently.

Blaise looked down at her, all heaving chest and wide eyes, luscious curves and sexy little green lace knickers that didn't match her bra. And her breasts, all full and pert, with those plump little pink nipples, begging for his mouth to nibble and suck and lick them, with the dainty little silver hoops pierced through them. Part of his mind couldn't even fully comprehend what he was seeing, because it was _Lily_. The witch who cringed after a prick to her finger with both nipples pierced. His cool, collected assistant who made sex noises brewing potions, and had been hiding the fact she'd gotten her fucking nipples pierced, probably from the world. His mind was officially blown.

"You're not getting undressed," Lily said, and as he kneeled before her, he could see the redhead's eyes roving over him curiously. He waited until she met his gaze again, wearing only her knickers, spread out in his bed on her elbows.

"Sweetheart, I'm so fucking distracted right now, I almost forgot what the hell we're doing here," he rumbled, all but ripping his vest off after undoing his buttons with quick, deft movements. Lily's chest lifted and fell faster as he stripped his shirt, and he could feel her eyes on him, reveling in the way her gaze devoured him.

"Blaise," she said, voice wavering slightly when he undid his belt, and when he looked at her, she looked unsure again.

The pureblood could've kicked himself. He'd gotten fucking distracted all right! He was supposed to be taking his time with Lily, and here he was, getting ready to fuck her into oblivion before he could think and make sure she was ready with him. Blaise knew he had a reputation for being a good lover, in fact it was the one thing most of his exes could concede about his otherwise hateful existence and their awful experiences with him. He was a prick, and a cold hearted bastard, and incapable of loving anything except his work, and scores of other accusations that had been hurled at him, but at least he was good in bed. And he certainly had no intention of letting Lily think otherwise of him. And if, as he suspected, she was inexperienced, he would do well to go slowly with her regardless. He could be patient enough.

"Yes, Lily?" he rumbled, and moved back over her as he laid her back once more, only this time he held his weight up off her chest with only one arm, leaving his dominant hand to wander her tempting curves. He couldn't resist, and started with her breast, groaning as he kissed her, because it felt bloody perfect in his hand, and it was better than he'd imagined it. His fingers cupped and moulded the soft skin and luscious weight of the underside, then, because he was greedy, and it was surprisingly a major turn on for him, flicked her nipple and the attached ring. She whimpered into his mouth, obviously sensitive, and Blaise couldn't help but wonder how wet her little knickers were getting, because she sounded like she could come for him at any moment.

He broke the kiss, mouth dragging down her chin as he tugged, soft and experimentally, on her nipple ring, and his lips skimmed her throat as her back arched, head pressing back into the bed instinctively, and she made a sharp, high pitched keen of delighted arousal that stroked his own libido in ways he knew she wasn't ready for.

"Blaise!" she whimpered when he tugged the other ring, and he grunted. She was perfect, and he couldn't wait to devour her.

"Yes, my pet," he rumbled, and loved her little yelp of pleasure as he tugged harder still at her piercing and then dipped his head to kiss the space between her breasts. His pelvis once again nestled intimately, despite his trousers, against Lily's womanhood, and he couldn't resist rocking his hips a little, frotting against her in a parody of what he really wanted to do. And yet again, Lily arched and moaned, his name sounding delicious when she said it in a hiss, her fingernails digging into his flesh as she tried to get more friction where she needed it most.

"Please," Lily breathed as his lips brushed the cool silver metal of her nipple piercing, and Blaise grunted again, dark eyes flicking up to watch her reaction as he took her hard little nipple into his mouth, suckling hungrily on the little nub of engorged flesh, tongue flicking the sexy little ring. And if he hadn't been so turned on, he might've laughed. It was as if Lily had been hit with a powerful _Rennervate_ spell, her entire body jolting, chest shoving out, pushing her breasts further into his mouth and hand. "Oh _yes_!" she all but squealed, and he wondered if she'd pass out when he eventually put his mouth on her femininity.

The dark haired wizard withdrew, loving Lily's breathy moan and the way she reacted when he treated her other aching nipple to the same experience as the first. Blaise spent long minutes ravishing her clearly sensitive nipples and breasts with his mouth, kissing, licking and nipping her into a frenzy. And when he felt the last of his own control slipping, his hunger overwhelming him, he at last moved lower.

Lily arched and wriggled, surely dying, because there was no way she wasn't in heaven, and she was sure she was moaning too loud, but the redheaded witch couldn't stop herself. She was mostly naked in Blaise Zabini's bed, and he was kissing her, and touching her, and she was going to implode soon. Her mouth was begging incoherently, his name like a mantra, as she felt his teeth dragging deliriously from between her breasts, down the hollow beneath her ribs, and across to her hip.

The redhead's eyes snapped open abruptly, having fallen shut as she was slowly lost in the euphoria of Blaise putting his mouth all over her breasts, his arousal rocking against her teasingly, making her want to scream with arousal and the aching need she couldn't quell within. Because she was all but certain there was only thing Blaise could be intending to do with his mouth that close to her very wet knickers. And she wasn't at all sure she was ready for it.

What if he expected her to reciprocate after he did it? Or, worse, what if he then wanted to have actual sex with her!? Panic threatened to overwhelm her for a moment, and Lily tried to pull herself together, even as she started freaking out. Blaise pulled back, looking up at her, and when she met his eyes, she felt her panic receding a little. His very dark gaze was oddly reassuring, and she felt safe, that he would take care of her, certainly, and it wouldn't be like the last time. After all, she'd been a real virgin back then, and at least she had that out of the way.

"Do you want me to stop, Lily?" he asked, and she shivered with arousal as his fingertip traced the top of her knickers. The redhead licked her lips, but pushed her fears aside.

"No, don't stop," she murmured with as much confidence as she could muster. But Blaise shook his head, pulling back further, sitting up between her legs. Lily's brows pulled together and she lifted to her elbows again, even as part of her realized they probably looked ridiculous. "What are you doing?" she demanded. As soon as she'd talked herself down, knowing Blaise wasn't cruel enough to harm her, she'd been ready for pleasure. But now her boss was looking at her as if he might regret having pushed the boundaries thus far.

"You're not ready," he said, and she felt her nipples bead and her arousal coiling tighter within as his dark eyes roved over her intently once again.

"I am too!" she said indignantly, because she didn't like the tone he'd talked in, as if he somehow knew her better than she even knew herself. "I just…" She paused, swallowed thickly, and pushed on, unable to meet his eyes and staring instead over his shoulder. "I've never been with a wizard like you," she said, hedging around the full truth. "I haven't really been with a lot of wizards in general," she added fairly, blushing a tiny bit. "So this is…kind of new for me."

Blaise regarded her for a moment, and Lily finally gathered her failing courage enough to look back at him. He looked thoughtful, and then reached out and smoothed his hand up the inside of her left thigh, his palm warm and stirring her desire back to life. She caught her breath, biting her lower lip, when his hand came to rest at the join of her thigh to her pelvis, the space between his thumb and forefinger resting right next to her soaked lingerie. "You'll tell me if it's too much?" he asked, looking quite serious, and Lily nodded. "Say it out loud," Blaise said firmly, and the redhead groaned a tiny bit, deep in her throat.

"Yes," she breathed. He moved over her, kissing her mouth far too briefly, then her collarbone, and then her nipple.

"Good," he rumbled, and Lily wriggled, her arousal shooting right back up into the stratosphere when he licked her, from navel to the top of her panties that sat around her hip. Her nerve endings were on red alert as he teased her through her knickers, rubbing her through the wet fabric, brushing the throbbing center of her pleasure purposely, loving the way she melted into the mattress, hips lifting in a silent plea for more. "So wet for me," he rumbled, and Lily moaned, unable to resist grasping his shoulders tight when he licked her through the sodden fabric, making her eyes roll back in her head when his teeth grazed her clitoris.

"Blaise," she whimpered, tempted to plead him. He hummed and she wriggled when he slipped a finger inside her knickers, pulling the fabric away from her slick flesh. "Blaise, please," she moaned, wanting him more than she'd ever wanted anything, she was positive.

"I think you can do better than that, my pet," Blaise said softly, and she yelped, bucking into the sensation, as a fingertip parted her sex teasingly, trying to get _more_. "Try again," he commanded roughly.

Lily could only moan as he began purposely sliding her lingerie off, lifting her hips to assist him, and her fingernails bit hard into his flesh when he paused. " _Blaise_ ," she groaned. "Please, don't stop," she moaned, dying for it. He slid her panties off.

"Tell me what you want," he demanded.

"Fuck," she breathed. "Please, take my knickers off and just bloody eat me out already!"

Blaise grunted, and Lily felt him shift, and then her arms were prised from his shoulders and pinned, by magic, above her head, wrists stuck together. "Fuck, sweetheart, you have no idea how fucking great you are," he rumbled, but before Lily could say a word, he was stripping her knickers entirely, the little scrap of green lace flying haphazardly over his shoulder once he'd gotten them off her, and then Blaise was parting her thighs with his warm, sure palms on her flesh. Lily arched, wanting to grab his head and all but force him down.

Instead Blaise took his time, kissing the soft skin of her inner thighs, rubbing her enticingly, all while his warm breath fanned temptingly over her glistening womanhood. "Blaise," she panted. "Please, fucking Merlin, _please_ ," she moaned, feeling unbearably turned on, certain she might die if he didn't get her there. She tugged helplessly at her bonds, feeling his breath against her, all but aching for the pleasure she was positive was coming, wanting the wizard sprawled between her legs to do something, _anything_ , in that moment.

"That's it, my pet," he rumbled, and then Lily lost the ability to think, let alone speak, and all she could do was moan as Blaise finally put his mouth on her, parting her slick folds with his tongue, the hot muscle swirling around her clitoris, and his strong hands held her down as he pleasured her. Lily knew she was dead, even though she could feel her lust spiralling out of control still, but she had to be dead, because there was no way this type of pleasure was available while alive. She felt as if she were going to burst with the intensity of it all, and without warning, her first ever orgasm that wasn't self induced slammed through her with all the subtlety of a screaming freight train. Because the pleasure all but razed her it was so intense, and the euphoria was headier than anything she'd ever experienced.

And when Lily finally came back to herself after whatever heaven Blaise had shoved her into, she was out of breath, and felt limp and sated, and drew her no longer restrained arms down. "I was wrong," Blaise murmured in her ear, on his side pressed against her, and she could feel his arousal against her hip. Lily made a vague noise of question. "You don't make sex noises when you brew potions," he said, and Lily groaned with muted delight, because his hand was on her hip, gripping her possessively, and his mouth felt quite nice against her neck, kissing and nibbling distractingly. "You make foreplay noises," he continued, his voice deep and low and rough, and making Lily's libido perk up despite the best orgasm she'd ever had and hadn't known existed. "Because your sex noises, even when I'm only fucking you with my tongue, are much louder, and definitely way sexier." Lily moaned a little, and sucked in a deep breath when Blaise's hand smoothed up her stomach, from her hip to her breast, playing with her piercing absently. "And I bet when I fuck you with more than just my mouth, the Silencing wards on this room will be put to the test."

Lily groaned, because that sounded bloody hot, and he should be one of the voices for those Muggle phone in sex things, if he was going to talk like that! She turned in to face him, basking in the glory of having Blaise Zabini, half naked and just having brought her to a screamingly good orgasm, all to herself in his bed. And because she was greedy, she pressed her breasts into his chest as she leaned in to kiss him. "Is that going to be tonight?" she asked after she'd pulled away.

"Mmm, maybe not tonight, my pet," Blaise replied, dark eyes roving over her face, even though he wanted and his cock bloody well demanded it. He didn't want to overload her all in one night.

Her rosy mouth, swollen with his kisses, went into a slight pout, and Blaise groaned, wanting nothing more than to at least fuck that sexy little mouth senseless before coming all over her delicious, full breasts with their plump, perky nipples and their perfect little rings. "Why not?" she demanded.

"Because you're definitely not ready," he said. She looked down, at the line of his prick in his trousers, and gulped. Blaise tilted her chin back up, and kissed her upturned mouth gently. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll get it. Just not tonight."

Lily sighed, but she didn't have the confidence to push the issue, so she accepted it would have to wait. Even if she'd been kind of hoping Blaise would want to go all the way with her. She smiled, though, as he grasped her ass and pulled her close, snuggling her as he kissed her neck teasingly. "Mmm, I thought you said-" she began in a murmur as he fondled her gently.

"I did," he said roughly. "And I maintain that I'm not going to fuck you until you scream my name again, at least not with anything other than my mouth, tonight," Blaise added, then smirked, looking sinfully attractive to her. "But maybe, if you're a very good girl, you'll get to come all over my mouth again," he said teasingly, and Lily felt her libido crank right back into life.

"I can be good," she said huskily, because she really wanted to have him lick her and make her scream his name again. "Fuck, I can be great," she said, already achingly turned on.

"You'll have to be, my pet," Blaise rumbled. "Because now you owe me one, too."

Lily licked her lips, because she was looking forward, despite her initial anxiety, to repaying him. She'd never felt anything as strong as her lust for Blaise, and it felt so right, she didn't know how it could be wrong.

XXX


	6. Chapter 6

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Lily woke up the next morning feeling warm and sleepy and distinctly sore. Then she realized she was naked, and tangled up intimately with Blaise, who was mostly also naked, except for his black boxer briefs. And then Lily realized she'd woken because Blaise was kissing her neck, one of his hands smoothing up and down her back. "For the record," he rumbled, somehow sensing she was awake, "this is one of the few ways a morning can be considered good."

Lily laughed, her throat a little scratchy. Blaise had pleasured her late into the night, bringing her to two more, earth shattering, scream inducing orgasms that she was positive had ruined her for anyone else. And, in between, she'd paid him back the first one, and found herself irrationally turned on by pleasuring Blaise, knowing she had some sort of power over him, even if just briefly and only after he'd shown and told her what to do. And he'd proclaimed, yet again, that she was a diamond in the rough, after she'd wiped her chin and swallowed the reward for a top notch blowjob, blushing the whole time.

"In that case, good morning, Blaise," she murmured, and shifted to be impossibly closer to him, feeling his erection against her belly.

"Would you like it to be a great morning, sweetheart?" he rumbled, and rolled onto his back, taking her easily with him, until her thighs straddled his hips, her slick furrow pressed directly against the hard length of his cock with only a thin cotton barrier between their heated flesh.

Lily moaned, even as he buried his hands in her hair and kissed her heatedly. Lily's body moved instinctively atop him, her pelvis grinding and rocking, breasts rubbing enticingly over his chest, her little silver piercings scraping him erotically. Blaise could only grasp handfuls of her lovely, unruly mane of dark red hair harder, wanting her with a fierce, acutely aching hunger. He wanted to own her, and fuck her, and make her scream his name buried balls deep in her slick, inviting heat. It was like a fever assaulting him, the hot, restless hunger for her.

"Yes," she breathed. "Yes, Blaise, yes _please_ ," she moaned softly as he finally allowed her to pull back and gasp lungfuls of air. His hands dragged down her lusciously petite frame, over her full, round breasts, pausing to flick her tempting piercings, then lower, gripping her hips after smoothing his hands down her sides.

"Tell me what you want, my pet," he rumbled firmly, and she hissed as he held her too tight, his need almost overwhelming his willpower for a beat.

"I want you," she whispered, and leaned down, burying her face in his neck, hips rolling enticingly in his grip, teasing her wetness against his length. He grunted and forced her to be still. "I want you to take me, because I already told you, I can be yours, and yours alone." Her mouth moved to his ear, and she said, in a tiny voice that he barely heard despite her speaking right into his ear, "I want you to fuck me, Blaise."

Lily groaned when he turned his head into her neck and his teeth bit down with possessive force, marking her pale skin undoubtedly. The redheaded witch found she didn't much care, honestly. He was going to fuck her, and probably blow her mind, and Lily was simply looking forward to the pleasure.

She groaned as she felt him shedding the last barrier between them, releasing her hips to do so, and before he could stop her, she ground greedily against the hot, hard length of him, feeling unbearably horny, and ready to, finally, get a piece of the great sex she always heard people talk about for herself. "Fuck, Lily," he rumbled, then, without warning, grasped her hips, lifted her, and guided her onto him. And as Lily sank down, her slick passage gripping the pureblood's cock enticingly the whole time, she moaned, long and loud.

"Oh fuck _yes_ ," she groaned, the sibilant dragging out into a hiss of fulfilment as she finally accommodated all of his long, thick cock inside herself. "Oh, yes, _yes_ , Blaise, _yes_!" she moaned, rocking slowly, never having felt anything so incredibly fucking hot and perfect as him within her, completing her and making her, by far, the luckiest fucking witch on the planet.

He grunted, hands moving to grasp her ass, and Lily moaned, because when he guided her up, almost all the way out, and then pulled her firmly back down, it was as if she was going to die from the pleasure. "Do you like that, my pet?" he rumbled, and Lily could only moan and gasp and clench around him, wanting _more_.

"Yes," she finally managed to rasp out, and he guided her up again, then pulled her firmly back down onto him, drawing a hoarse moan from her lips. "Blaise," she breathed, and he kissed her as she melted onto him, setting a slow, teasing pace as he fucked her gently at first, reveling in the hot, wet, oh so tight pussy around his cock. She was better than he'd ever dreamed, and the sounds she made, the little grunts and moans and gasps of pleasure as she rode him experimentally were like music to his ears, and poured the gasoline over his raging inferno of desire.

"Yes, Lily?" he rumbled, then watched her lift up, sitting upright atop him, filled with him, and she tossed her hair. It was as if she had finally, at long last, loosened her inhibitions completely for him, and was owning the fact that she was a sexy young witch, who was utterly desirable.

"You're not fucking me," she said huskily, her voice a tempting purr, even as she gyrated and rolled her pelvis, riding him slow and deep, and reached up to fondle her own breasts for his viewing pleasure.

"Because it's far more enjoyable to watch you pleasuring yourself on me," he admitted, and watched her blush. He sat up on an elbow, drawing her forward, and suckled a nipple, even as he thrust up into her, hard and fast, for a long moment, watching her bounce, hearing her moan and squeal her pleasure as he did so, then slowed, and then stopped, watching her moan and growl her frustration, trying for more as she rode him again. "And because you won't last, my pet, and I want you to enjoy yourself," he rumbled, and she gasped a moan as he bit her nipple roughly, then suckled the hurt, making her unbearably wet, arousal sharpening almost painfully as she rode him for her own pleasure.

"Oh yes," she moaned, "yes, _yes_! I'm going to more than fucking enjoy myself," Lily murmured. "Mmm, yes, Blaise," she moaned, feeling her orgasm building to a powerful precipice. "Blaise," she moaned even louder, " _please_ , oh yes!"

The dark haired pureblood grunted, unable to hold back any longer, and grasped both her ass cheeks firmly, one in each hand, and pulled her down onto him, pounding her from below, desperate to hear her release, as his own neared explosion. "Fuck yes, Lily," he growled, loving the way she grasped him, her pussy clenching around his length, and he knew she was close. "Come for me, sweetheart," he demanded, and to his absolute delight, she did. All thrusting breasts and screaming mouth hardly muffled in his neck, her slick passage clenching and gripping and milking him, pushing him over the edge, right as she cried out his name.

He came harder than he was certain he'd ever come before, pumping into her tight, molten womanhood, groaning and gripping her too hard again, but loving her moans and gasps of pleasure that still wracked her, even as they both came to properly.

"Holy shit," Lily breathed, still astride his half hard cock, and then she rolled off of him, onto her side, and he moved onto his own side, facing her, pulling her close. "That was way better than I thought it would be," she mumbled, face buried in his chest. Blaise couldn't help but laugh, even when she sent him a dirty look after pulling back slightly.

"Than you thought it would be?" he drawled questioningly.

Lily bit her lip, looking over his shoulder. "Yeah," she mumbled. "I just assumed…" She shook her head, and sent him a stern expression. "It doesn't matter."

Blaise wanted to argue that it might just matter, but he was too sated and pleased and still half hard with Lily in his arms to bother. "Mmm, well either way, that was better than I thought it would be, too," he said. Lily's mouth dropped open, brows shooting up, but before she could comment, the alarm went off, and Blaise sighed, pulling away from her, waving his wand to shut it off. "Time to get up," he announced, and sat up, then slid out of bed, still naked, and Lily couldn't resist devouring him with her eyes. Blaise Zabini naked was a sight to behold, and she wanted to imprint the image on her brain forever. "Are you coming for a shower?" he asked, looking back at her, still lying in bed, looking as rumpled as the sheets.

Lily couldn't help but smile, because she'd been planning to shower alone, but if there was the option of sharing, to save water, of course, she was all for it. "Sure," she said, and got up, following Blaise as he went to go shower, unable to help thinking about the other day, when she'd been tempted to peek on Blaise showering. She'd never thought she'd be there, with him, while he stood naked under the hot spray available for open viewing pleasure. But when he pulled her close, kissing her under the steaming shower, she couldn't deny, she was glad she _was_ there.

As the days settled into a routine, Lily found herself happier than she could possibly ever have imagined. She'd wake with Blaise in the early dawn, usually to his talented mouth teasing her into hot, erotic morning sex, either in bed or the shower, or sometimes both, then get dressed and head over to the House of Records in the morning while Blaise went about his own business. He'd take her to lunch, then usually return to the House of Records to do research with her, always maintaining a strictly professional countenance with her, and they'd work until late in the evening. Then he'd take her to some little Muggle hole in the wall for the best home-cooked Greek dinners she'd ever had, every meal surpassing the last, and then take her back to his villa for the night. Sometimes they worked, her on the research and him sometimes disappearing into his laboratory without her, but before long he'd announce they were going to bed, and all but drag her from her work into bed with him. Not that she was complaining. She went willingly, submitting to his every whim after he stripped her, and they'd spend countless hours and minutes exploring each other's bodies, Lily learning very fast just how fantastic sex could be, especially with Blaise.

He was an attentive and thorough lover, and while he was as in control and dominant in the bedroom as he was outside of it, Lily found she rather liked it. She enjoyed being bound, whether by magic or even the time he'd actually tied her, with his red tie, to the headboard after she'd admitted, blushing, she'd fantasized about it before, and enjoyed his stern, commanding voice instructing her even more. And Lily had, to her slight mortification anytime she examined her feelings on the subject, as of last night, embraced her sexuality enough that, when she'd been requested to call Blaise Sir, she'd done it.

But now, Lily realized, she had only two days left in Athens with Blaise, which had rapidly become synonymous with heaven for her. The redhead was half afraid to go home, because there was the distinct possibility things would be horribly different and her boss might not want to take her to bed every night and wake up with her in the morning. And Lily had half convinced herself it would be a probability when they got back to England, unable to help but recall the last time she'd gone home after working abroad with Blaise. Only now it would be doubly painful, because he knew precisely how much she desired him and his company inside the bedroom, as well as outside of it.

She sighed feeling horribly resigned, flipping through documents in the House of Records, her translator beside her, poring over dusty remnants of parchment from centuries past, the morning sun warming her peacefully in the silence. "You seem sad this day," Constantinos said, and Lily glanced up to find blue eyes regarding her thoughtfully.

"I'm probably going to go home soon," she said, doubting, when she told him that day, nothing more had ever been unearthed that might help him in his personal mission to improve his first potion, or brew it the way he'd intended anyway, Blaise would want to stay. And the only things Lily had found, digging through the records with Constantinos, was an abundance of paper cuts and the same article Blaise himself had made his notes on. "And I'm not looking forward to it," she murmured, sighing again.

"You will miss Greece?" Constantinos pushed. Lily sighed.

"I'm definitely going to miss parts of it," Lily admitted. The food. The sunshine. And definitely the villa in the outskirts of the city that had become a slice of something she didn't ever think she'd have. Nirvana.

"Mmm, and this little piece of Greece will certainly miss you, Lily," Constantinos said with a grin. "I know I will miss you," he added solemnly.

"I'll miss you too, Constantinos," she said with a kind smile. The dark haired, blue eyed Grecian shrugged.

"But you will have much to tell your family, of your time here," he said. Lily barely held in the urge to blush at that.

"Yeah," she said with a little smirk, "I bet no one back home knows you can still be cut by four hundred year old parchment."

Constantinos laughed, a melodious sound, and Lily giggled a little too, her heavy heart momentarily lightened. "I mean they will be pleased to know you and your friend have taken things to the serious level, no?" Constantinos said after a moment. Lily did blush now. "It is obvious he is your lover," the Greek man continued, smirking a tiny bit.

"I- He's not-" Lily stuttered, and then she gasped, because suddenly Constantinos was leaning into her bubble, looking way too handsome and like he was challenging her blushing half statement of Blaise not being anything like a lover.

"He looks at you like a starving man regards a hot meal, Lily," Constantinos said in a low voice. She sucked in a breath, because she was suddenly way too aware her translator was male, and smelled quite good, and she felt something shift deep inside, some part of her that she'd repressed and that Blaise had brought to life. "Tell me I am wrong."

"You're-" she breathed, and then Constantinos brushed his mouth suggestively across hers, and she shoved him back, hard. "Stop," she said firmly, and stood up just as Blaise turned into the little room, looking flawless in his crisp white shirt, dark navy trousers, his robes tossed over one arm casually. "You're right, but you can't-" she began in a hiss, but then Blaise was beside her, and she shot Constantinos a warning look. She last thing she wanted, or needed, was Blaise thinking she was gabbing about whatever had transpired in private between them with her translator, a wizard she could tell Blaise already didn't much care for.

"Ah, so it is that way," Constantinos said, and nodded, then looked at Blaise. "Lily tells me you are leaving Athens soon," he said.

Dark brows lifted and Blaise shot the Greek wizard a look of bland contempt. "Sooner rather than later," he replied. "Say goodbye, Lily," he added to the redhead beside him, and he watched her hug the Greek man, and gather up her notes.

Constantinos handed her copies and translated portions of everything she'd thought might be relevant to Blaise's goal, and the redhead kissed him on the cheek in thanks, knowing he'd keep her secret about Blaise, and feeling sad, because he'd become a good friend in the short time she'd known him. "Goodbye, Lily Potter. I wish you luck with your research," he said.

"Bye Constantinos. Thanks for...everything."

"It is no trouble. Thank you for all your help. I feel much less overwhelmed now that you have helped me with my task of organizing this mess."

Lily snorted, because the room still looked like a tornado had sorted it, but there was definitely progress made. "Then you're welcome," she said and waved as Blaise pressed his hand to her lower back and guided her to the door.

"You've undoubtedly broken that poor fellow's heart, Miss Potter," Blaise said, sounding inordinately pleased by it, as they left the House of Records at the Greek Embassy of Magic.

"I doubt it," she said, hoping she was right. Constantinos seemed like a nice guy, and if she had broken his heart, she'd feel bad about it. Then again, he was also gorgeous, and charming, and she didn't doubt he had a witch somewhere in Athens who would console him. "Are we leaving tomorrow, then?" Lily asked, purposely changing the subject.

"Yes," Blaise replied as they walked out of the magical sector of the ancient city toward a restaurant for lunch in the Muggle portion. "Our Portkey leaves from the gates outside the villa at ten fifteen tomorrow morning," he said, stopping outside a tiny little cafe and reaching for the door. Lily frowned, pausing.

"Are we not going back to the House of Records?" she asked, because she'd just said goodbye to Constantinos, and it had felt like they wouldn't be going back. But if they had almost a whole twenty four hours before they left Athens, what in the name of Merlin did Blaise have planned? Surely they wouldn't just do _nothing_?

"No," Blaise said, and smirked. "After lunch, I plan to take you home so you can finally try out that bath tub." Lily's brows shot up, but then Blaise leaned down and added roughly against her ear, "Although you won't be doing any laps for exercise, sweetheart." She felt her cheeks warming and something hot and molten bubbled up in her belly, making her nipples hard under her lightweight, cotton blouse, underneath which she was currently without a brassiere.

"Oh," she said softly, finally moving into the little cafe restaurant, and couldn't fight her smile.

They had some kind of lamb dish that Lily couldn't pronounce properly for lunch, and it was delicious, and even though Lily had eaten plenty, she found herself still hungry for her employer. When they finally Apparated back to Blaise's villa, she was in the mood for a long hot bath, preferably with the owner of the bathtub present with her. And to her delight, her dark eyed, dark haired lover was in the mood for the same.

He lead her into the massive white marble bathroom off her suite of rooms, and Lily couldn't help but suck in a deep breath as he began running the taps. He rapped his wand on the two taps on the far right hand side, then one at the far left, and the tub began filling with a softly vanilla scented bubble bath, steam rising to indicate the temperature as the massive tub slowly began filling. "Get undressed," Blaise said roughly, and Lily gulped, but started getting undressed.

The pureblood watched her, his dark brown eyes unwavering as Lily began undoing the dozen tiny buttons on her blouse, and he felt his hunger and impatience growing as she neared the bottom. The fabric parting wide to reveal her full, luscious breasts, unrestrained by a bra and with their tempting little piercings, for his perusal as she slipped the last button free of its hole and then started on her jeans. Blaise moved forward, stilling her hands. "What are you-?" she began, but broke off as he smoothed his hands up her arms and pushed the little sleeveless shirt off her shoulders. The lightweight fabric fluttered to the floor, pooling around her feet.

"When I tell you to get undressed," he murmured, with a hint of iron sternness lacing his tone, "I mean do it properly. Slowly and for my benefit, my pet." He watched her pink tongue dart out to wet her lips, a sure sign she was turned on, and watched her breathing get heavier. Blaise smirked a tiny bit, because it was unbearably easy to turn the normally studious Lily into a panting, moaning little sex kitten, and he might very well be getting addicted to it. "Where as if I tell you to take your clothes off, I want you naked without delay," he added, purposely roughening the timbre of his voice, loving her soft little whimper, imagining just how wet her little knickers would be. He grunted, and cupped the smooth, firm weight of a breast, teasing her nipple gently. "Is that understood?" he asked softly. Lily sucked in a ragged breath, and nodded. "Say it out loud," he rumbled, in her favourite stern, painfully sexy voice.

"Yes, it's understood," she said, pretty sure she was blushing because she had a feeling Blaise wanted a very specific response, and she wasn't at all sure she had the courage to say it without prompting. Blaise didn't say anything, but when Lily chanced a glance up at him, she bit her lip, because he looked almost forbidding, one dark brow arching questioningly. She sucked in another ragged breath, unable to resist reaching out to touch him, her hand against his torso, splayed in the middle of his crisp white shirt. "Yes, Sir," she said very softly, instead, still looking up at him.

One corner of his mouth tilted up in the hint of a smile. "Such a good girl. You may finish getting undressed, my pet," he said, and moved away from her, stepping back as she blushed a tiny bit, but once more began undressing. She unbuttoned her jeans, sliding the zip down excruciatingly slow, then slowly eased them down her hips, shimmying in slow motion with the gentle glide of her denims. Blaise felt his pulse quickening, cock twitching excitedly, because Lily, and the irresistible thoughts of her stripping for him, were almost too much to handle. He grunted and began undoing the buttons on his own shirt. A flick of his wand had the taps turning off, even as the water line rose to an acceptable level, and a twirl of his wrist had the water at the optimal temperature automatically.

Lily's jeans, at last, pooled at her feet, and Blaise lifted his brows as she stepped out of them, because unless he was mistaken, she was wearing thoroughly _naughty_ panties. A slinky little black thong with ties over her hips and lace along the top. He hadn't been privy to Lily's lingerie selection that morning, as he'd been in the shower, but seeing her scrap of lace and strings now, he was thoroughly pleased with it. "I sincerely hope you have this in more than one colour," he said, reaching out to tug, light and teasing, at the tie over her left hip.

"Unfortunately not," Lily said, blushing, even as she smiled up at him. "But if you like these, I bet I have one pair you'll _love_." Blaise's brows shot up even more.

"Oh really?" he drawled.

"Yes," Lily said, and smiled sweetly. "Unfortunately, I haven't packed them, so…" She shrugged. "Another time, I suppose." Blaise tilted her chin up to look in her eyes, because she almost sounded challenging, as if she was asking without really asking, if they'd extend whatever was happening between them, into their regular, everyday lives once back home. She looked back steadily, giving him nothing, except that little smile that seemed too easy not to be forced.

"If you're not wearing them on Monday morning, I can promise you, my pet, I'll bend you right over my workbench and spank your ass raw," Blaise replied lightly, once more undoing his shirt.

Lily's mouth parted, eyes going wide, even as she blushed. Because that was equally anxiety inducing and hot as fuck sounding. And because she didn't know what else to say, Lily breathed, very softly, "Yes, Sir," unable to resist picturing Blaise doing something like bending her over and spanking her while they were at work. She tried not to focus on how bad she almost hoped he would anyway, even if she wore her stupid, almost nonexistent knickers the day after next for him.

"Mmm, _such_ a good girl," he drawled as she slipped the silk ties at her hips undone and her panties fluttered to the floor. "Get in the tub." He watched her climb in carefully, listening with relish to her groaning at the hot, relaxing temperature as her body adjusted, and knew she'd smell, and taste, like vanilla the rest of the evening. He found himself looking forward to it.

"Are you coming?" she asked as he stripped his shirt, and trousers directly thereafter, in short order.

"Not yet, sweetheart," he promised, even as he moved, half hard and feeling distinctly horny looking at Lily, lounging in the tub, toward the enticing redhead.

"Hurry up," she purred, bracing both forearms on the side of the tub, looking at him, all of him in his naked glory, with raw hunger.

"Oh no, Lily," he said, even as he moved closer still, close enough to touch her, and brushed his fingers through her mane of hair. "If you want that, you'll have to work for it, my pet." The redhead blushed, but her mouth traced teasingly up the length of the underside of his prick regardless, loving the way he hardened at her touch, the way his fingers tangled rougher in her hair.

She took him into her mouth, humming seductively as she tempted and teased him with her talented tongue, stroking the portions she couldn't reach with her mouth with a silky smooth palm and fingers. Blaise grunted, even as he gripped a fistful of her lovely hair, trying to resist the urge to guide her all over him. "Mmm, are you coming yet?" she purred, licking the bulbous head of him leisurely, as if it were a lolly, tongue swirling around the head of his prick as she jerked him slowly, the very image of his perfect submissive witch between the sheets. "I'm getting all hot and wet by myself in here, Sir," she purred, then suckled him briefly into the exquisitely wet heat of her mouth again.

Blaise's hips flexed, pushing his cock into the back of her throat, feeling the soft give as she accommodated him and grunting at the slick imitation of where he really wanted his prick buried when he came at last. "Yes, my pet. But I'm enjoying that you're becoming very adept at swallowing my cock," he said roughly, trying to resist the urge to fuck her mouth senseless.

Lily sucked in a ragged breath, hazel eyes darting up to meet his as he pulled back, his erection popping free of her mouth and trailing fine strands of glittering saliva that broke as she sucked in her breath. "Thank you, Sir," she said with a bewitching drop of her thick lashes and flush of pink to her cheeks. When his fingers traced over her jawline, she looked back up at him, even as she sank down to sit properly in the massive tub. "Are you going to get in, please?" she whispered after another beat, and with the way her hungry eyes roved all over him, Blaise was all but certain she was ready for him. He slid into the tub with ease, and Lily drifted over toward him.

Blaise seated her in his lap, but made no further move to bring her closer to the hot length of his erection. Lily, unable to resist, melted all over him, turning her face into his neck to both breathe him in and taste the sensitive flesh at the base of his throat. Her lips peppered kisses all along his jaw and grazed her teeth hungrily over his carotid, all while arching and writhing sinuously atop him. And fuck if the redheaded witch was a vision, all damp and horny, moaning softly, lips caressing and teasing his control into smithereens. "Tell me what you want, my pet," he finally grunted, clenching a fist in her hair, hardly able to bear the sinuous grinding of her perfect body against him and persistent kisses from her lips.

"Just you, Sir," she purred, and licked her lips slowly, seductively. Her lashes dropped, once more, and then her brilliant hazel eyes flicked up, the pupils blown wide with arousal. "Just you," she repeated, and her small, delicate hands smoothed down his torso, stroking his erection, reveling in the silky smoothness of his flesh. It was a pleasing juxtaposition to the solid steel of his desire. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and she drew in a shaky breath, still fondling him, her movements calm and expert after so much practice. "I want you in me," she murmured, and turned her head to kiss the inside of his forearm. "And I want you on me," she continued. He hissed as she tightened her grip around his cock and he slid his hands down and pinched her nipples in retaliation. Lily bit him gently. "Just you, Blaise, all fucking over me," she said, and without warning, lined his erection up with her entrance as she canted her hips, and took him within herself, making him grunt in mingled surprise and pleasure.

Lily looked down into his dark eyes as she bottomed out, seeing the dark flame of burning passion simmering there, and groaned at the fullness, and the feel of Blaise's talented fingers on her nipples, tugging and teasing her mercilessly. "Then you'll have it, my pet." She moaned as he jerked his hips up, driving himself impossibly deeper as she gyrated and rocked atop him. "You'll have it all, Lily," he added, almost low enough she didn't hear him, but then his hands had dropped to her waist, guiding her up slightly before pulling her firmly back down, and the redheaded witch lost herself in the blaze of all consuming pleasure and bliss Blaise could create within and around her, dulling her senses and obliterating all thoughts.

XXX


	7. Chapter 7

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

One Month Later

"You wouldn't," Lily said, frowning at him discouragingly. Blaise's brows shot up. "Blaise," she said, trying to look and sound stern, but he could tell, by the way her eyes darted down to his mouth, then down over his frame, she was more than open to the idea of a little romp in his office.

"Come here," Blaise said firmly, looking at her, face and tone both brooking no refusals.

Lily felt her face smart as her pulse kicked up, heart thudding excitedly, libido stirring to life with those two simple words. But she went. Around his desk to his chair, and after turning under the sure, deliberate motions of his hands on her hips, she sat when he pulled her down onto his lap. Her nipples hardened, aching pleasurably, as his hands slid down her thighs from her hips, mouth brushing the side of her neck, even as she reached up to undo her hair from its bun and her dark red locks tumbled around her shoulders.

"You should know better than to challenge me, my pet," he said in a low voice against the shell of her ear, and Lily wriggled atop him, breasts arching out in a wordless plea, a soft moan sighing from between her rosy lips. "And I think you do know better, my pet, and you do it anyway, because you enjoy the repercussions of it."

Lily licked her lips again, then bit the lower one as Blaise's nose dragged down her neck, teeth grazing lightly, then edged aside her collar to press his teeth into the soft, supple connection between neck and shoulder. "Yes, Sir," she breathed. " _Please_ ," she added in a whisper, wanting, hoping he would give in, half knowing he wouldn't.

"Please what, my pet?" he said, and she could hear the edge of amusement in the lilt of his tone. She opened her mouth to reply, but then he was pulling her skirt up, hands caressing the upper inside of her thighs, and she groaned. "Please _what_ , my pet," Blaise repeated, in that firm, authoritative voice that made her panties wet, only this time it wasn't a question. It was a demand.

"Please fuck me, Sir," she breathed, and her lover smiled into her neck. She watched his left hand glide up to start undoing the buttons on her blouse as the right slide up her thigh and in, caressing her through her knickers and making her bite back a loud moan of approval.

"Oh no, my pet, that comes later," he said, and nipped her earlobe playfully. "But I promise you, you'll get my cock, sweetheart."

Lily blushed again, and felt her nipples get impossibly harder as they were exposed to the cool air, the sheer lace of her bra not concealing a thing. She couldn't help the moan as his talented fingers, so deft and precise, swirled tantalizingly slow around her clit in a lazy spiral. "Oh, yes, _please_ ," she breathed, her panties getting damp as she got more and more turned on. Blaise spread his thighs, spreading hers as well, and her skirt rode up to her hips.

"You have no idea how much your begging pleases me, my pet," Blaise rumbled with satisfaction. "But you need to learn patience." Lily pouted the tiniest bit, if only because she was facing away from him. "And you were far too spoiled before, which I suppose is my own error. But you were so utterly irresistible, my pet, I couldn't stand not having you."

Lily moaned, low in the back of her throat, because Blaise's fingertip against her clit, swirling lazily, had picked up speed and intensity, but just as she felt her arousal building into an orgasm, he slowed to his maddening, lazy speed, fingertips meandering south to caress her dripping slit through her definitely wet knickers briefly, before returning to her clit, stroking slow and lazy again. She arched and gyrated, trying for more in response, his caresses stoking her arousal from her denied release. "Please, Sir," she whispered, in agony, because she wanted to come for him, and she knew her boss turned lover would draw out her pleasure until she couldn't bear it, and she really was bloody impatient. But he merely chuckled.

"Beg and plead all you wish, my pet," he murmured, his left hand moving to tease a nipple with consummate skill of what she liked best. She whimpered in mingled frustration and delight, because once again, his fingertip against her clit began moving faster. "And grind that sexy little ass on me all you like," he added, as she wriggled her hips, trying to get more friction on her clit. "I'm going to teach you patience. And I think I'm hungry, my pet, and that you're on the menu."

Lily breathing hitched at that, because she felt her nipples going unbearably hard, restrained in her stupid brassiere, and Blaise was rubbing his fingertips, maddeningly, up and down her dripping entrance once more, thoroughly soaking her little lace and cotton knickers. "Sir," she moaned, arching her hips up, hungry for _more_.

"Stand up and take off your clothes," he said with that steely authority once more, and Lily complied eagerly, standing up and shucking her clothing with almost indecent haste. "All of them," he said when she made to sit back down in only her knickers. She stripped her panties as well, blushing despite knowing he'd obviously seen her naked before. "Mmm, so very irresistible, my pet," he murmured, the backs of his fingers dragging teasingly up the back of her right thigh. "You may sit back down."

Lily sat, straddling Blaise's lap at his guidance, legs spread wide, his erection nestled firmly between her buttocks. "Please, Sir," she murmured, moaning as his hands traced up her sides, then around to cup her breasts, thumbing her nipples teasingly.

"Not yet, my pet. I told you," he pinched both her nipples lightly, and tugged firmly, making her squeak in mingled pain and pleasure, "I'm hungry, my pet, and I'm in the mood to devour you."

Lily looked over her shoulder at him, his dark eyes meeting her hazel ones, his full mouth quirking up on one side, looking unbearably sexy. "Do I get to come after you devour me, Sir?" she asked softly, and Blaise slid a finger under her chin, drawing her forward, back coming up flush against his chest.

"We'll have to see, my pet," he replied, then kissed her lingeringly, tongue tracing the inside of her upper lip, making something hot and sharp jolt through her core, before pulling away. "Bend forward," he said firmly, and with a gentle pressure on her lower back with his other hand, she complied.

When Lily had braced her hands on the floor, her legs still splayed over his thighs as she held herself up between them, she blushed hard. Because she knew for a fact she was utterly and completely on display for Blaise, and although it was an arousing thought, it was still inherently embarrassing, at least a little. She moaned as his hands smoothed over her buttocks, lightly gripping the soft, firm, and creamy flesh, then spread her further, making Lily's ears burn, but in the next breath, she didn't give a crap who saw her, because Blaise had put his mouth on her. She moaned loud and uninhibited as he licked her, parting the slick folds of her sex with his tongue, making her eyes roll back in her head as molten pleasure shorted out her brain.

"Mmm, yes please, Sir, yes. I want to come for you so bad, Sir," she moaned incoherently as he ate her out, tongue fucking her pussy and suckling and licking teasingly at her clit. She whimpered as he pulled away abruptly and a firm spank landed on her left buttock.

"Patience, my pet," he rumbled, as a pink mark in the vague shape of a handprint appeared on her creamy buttock.

"Sir," she moaned, her tone pleading, and he kissed the slightly warm pink spot.

"Not yet, sweetheart. Be a good girl, and you'll get it, my pet." She couldn't help but moan as he dropped his mouth to her sex again, licking and nipping hungrily, pushing her to the brink and keeping her there with embarrassing ease. "Mmm, you really want to come all over my cock, don't you, my pet?" he purred, pulling back to look at her dripping pussy and the tight, puckered little hole of her anus, feeling curious and in the mood to push Lily's boundaries.

"Yes, Sir," she panted, and he could almost taste her frustration. His thumb brushed against her slit, her wetness coating the digit efficiently, and she groaned as his thumb then slid up and over her asshole, pressing teasingly. "Sir!" she whimpered sharply, ass jerking under his ministrations as he pushed his slick thumb slowly into her. She moaned as he grasped a hip to steady her, then withdrew his probing digit.

"Do you like that, my pet?" he rumbled, lubricating his thumb yet again before teasing her once more, loving the way Lily's pert, firm little ass wriggled before him, her dripping pussy all but begging to be fucked.

"Unh, Sir," she grunted, and then cried out as a sharp, stinging, and very hard spank landed on her right buttock. This time a clear, bright red hand print appeared on her porcelain flesh, and she moaned as Blaise kissed the stinging, hot flesh.

"Answer the question, my pet," he said firmly.

"Yes, Sir, I like it" she said, face going bright red she was positive, sucking in a deep breath, and then it whooshed out as his mouth dipped to taste her once more, only this time his talented tongue skated right up over her anus, swirling with purpose over the puckered flesh, and Lily almost face planted on the floor in surprise. "Sir," she mewled, and Blaise grunted, a sure sign he had anticipated her response.

"Yes, my pet?" he purred, then licked her again, making her arms tremble and her arousal climb to dizzying heights, despite her neglected clit and pussy.

"Please, Sir," she moaned, hoping he would know, because her face burned just _thinking_ the words. She could feel him poised over her, his breath fanning over her intimately, and she moaned and wriggled in denial and anticipation.

"Please what, my pet?" he asked in a dangerously soft voice, that told her she would tell him precisely what she wanted, or he would tease her mercilessly until she screamed her frustration.

"Please, don't stop," she panted, face surely boiling bright red, and not just from her position. "I want you to devour me, _all_ of me, Sir, please. I want to come while you lick my ass like that, I want to come for you, Sir, so bad, please, _please_ , Sir," she said incoherently.

His hand came down upon her left buttock again, and then the right directly after, and by the time he'd delivered half a dozen hard spanks, making her ass bright, boiling red to match her face, she was biting back a sob at the pain, even as her pleasure surged in the burning aftermath. "Stand up," Blaise said firmly, and she did, even as she batted aside the tears that had gathered on her lashes and heard him undoing his pants. "Turn around," he added softly, and she did, and when he opened his arms to her, she slid onto his lap once more, facing him, putting both her arms around his neck and melting against the solid, hard planes of him. "Oh, sweetheart, you know just how to make me give in to you, don't you?" he sighed, and Lily, who had buried her face in his neck, arms clutching his strong, broad shoulders, shook her head.

"I just want to please you," she whispered, and turned her head slightly, pressing her mouth to his neck, just above the collar of his shirt. "But I am impatient," she admitted, and pulled back from his embrace a little. She looked down, swallowed thickly, and bit her lower lip before peeking back up at him through her lashes.

"And patience is a skill that will serve you well, and not just with me, Lily," Blaise said, tilting her chin up to look at her properly. His other hand smoothed around her hip possessively. "Potioneering is twenty percent patience, ten percent determination, and sixty nine percent hard work."

"What's the other one percent?" she asked without thinking.

"Luck," he said easily, and kissed her. "And it just so happens I have that extra one percent that puts me at the top in spades," he added, and Lily smiled. He drew her forward to kiss her, his lips soft and persuasive at first, then slowly growing in hunger and dominance before he broke away. "Now, my pet, are you ready for the reward for your patience?" he asked in a soft, sexy voice that made her nipples bead once more and her lady bits snap to attention.

"Yes, Sir," she breathed, even as his hands both moved to her ass grasping the reddened flesh gently, making her whimper with delight as he guided her to take him inside her. Lily's head tipped back as she at last bottomed out on him, feeling full and horny and utterly at his mercy as his strong hands moved to grip her hips, keeping her motionless.

"Is it good, my pet?" he asked, feeling her clench him from within, her hips rolling gently as she rocked atop his erection.

"Oh yes, Sir, so good," she moaned, her lovely porcelain hands moving down his shirt as she tossed her mane of hair, looking like a pagan sex goddess fallen to Earth for his enjoyment. He held her steady as she fought to ride him, loving the huffs of frustration she made and the soft moans of arousal that refused to be denied.

"And is it better because you waited for it, my pet?" he asked roughly, his own arousal threatening to wriggle free of his iron control. His hands moved to her ass again, gripping her firmly, making her hiss and jerk forward, pushing her pert, plump breasts into him.

"Mmm, _yes_ , Sir," she panted, even as she began unbuttoning his shirt boldly, slipping both hands inside eagerly to touch his naked flesh. Blaise grinned, because she _was_ impatient, but when it came to her, he found patience didn't come as easily as usual either. He lifted her, loving the soft squeal of delight she made as he brought her firmly back down onto his dick, her luscious heat, all slick and inviting, testing the limits of his willpower. " _Yes, Sir_ ," she moaned.

Lily wasn't sure she could hold back any longer, and then her lover sat back, removing his hands from her entirely, making her pout instinctively, and sat back in his chair, finishing undoing the last few buttons on his shirt she hadn't bothered with. "Pleasure yourself," Blaise said firmly, looking at her with hunger, and Lily felt a hot ache, sizzling like a lightning strike, through her core, and she writhed a little atop him. The redhead need no further invitation, and easily moved into a sensual, easy rhythm as she rode him, moaning and touching him greedily, even as he shed his crisp white button down entirely.

Blaise sat back, watching and hearing her pleasuring herself with him, enjoying the way his young assistant's lithe little body rolled atop him, her slick heat gripping and sliding over his prick, her luscious mouth gasping and moaning and pleading for him to finish her. As Lily picked up speed and intensity, pushing herself closer to the brink, Blaise lost the fight against not touching her. His hands moulded her creamy flesh hungrily, teasing her nipples until they were plump and engorged, spreading her hot little ass as she bounced on him.

"Sir," she moaned at last, clinging to him as her hips rocked, fast and desperate, "Sir, please, I need to come," she moaned in a tortured whisper, and the dark eyed wizard knew she wouldn't be able to hold back much longer.

"Stand up, my pet," he said, and she moaned louder than ever, clearly disappointed, even as she acquiesced. "Turn around and bend over the desk," he said in her most favourite, panty-soaking voice, and Lily readily complied, hoping he would fuck her from behind, because that was definitely on her favourites list.

She groaned as he spread her, yet again, lifting onto her tippy toes, even in her heels, to display herself more readily for him, arching back for more as he slid two fingers into her, fucking her slowly with them. "Please, Sir," she moaned, " _please_!"

Blaise grunted, withdrew his fingers and flicked her clit, hard, making her gasp sharply. "So impatient today, my pet," he rumbled, and she groaned as she felt the head of his prick teasing her dripping slit. She moaned, back arching, pelvis tilting greedily, as he filled her in one long, slow push, filling her to the brim again, and she felt her cheeks go red as he leaned over her, pinning her with his body, and snapped his hips hard, forcing himself deeper still and a yelp from her. "But I can't blame you I suppose, sweetheart," he murmured in his rough, deep voice that raked over her eardrums pleasurably. She moaned as he withdrew, then slammed home roughly, owning her, even as a hand tangled in her hair, the other gripping her hip. "I find my own patience dwindling with every hot, perfect 'please, Sir' that falls from those lips," he said against her ear, pulling back and filling her, hard and dominating again, making Lily's lust spiral dangerously out of control, her willpower in tatters.

"Sir," she pleaded.

Blaise pulled back, picking up the pace of his fucking rapidly, until he was slamming into her, using both his grip on her hair and her hip for more leverage to pound her silly. And Lily, trying to please him, fought for control that hadn't a snowball's chance in Hell. "Fuck yes, my pet, _yes_ ," Blaise grunted, even as Lily felt his prick hitting the sweet spot within her as he released her hair to stand upright once more and grasp both hips, hard enough to bruise, fucking her hard enough she feared they'd move the desk across the room. "Who owns you?" he growled.

"You, Sir," she whimpered, her body betraying her at last as she felt her orgasm building to an irrepressible crescendo. "Yes, Sir, _yes, YES_!" Lily screamed as the pressure within exploded and white hot bliss slammed through her, dulling her senses to everything except the scalding waves of pleasure that crashed through her, leaving her trembling in the wake of the best orgasm of her life. She didn't hear Blaise grunting and cursing above her, or the painful grasp he had on her hips as he reached his own explosive release, and the redheaded witch only came aware of being pressed by his comforting weight into his desk in the panting, sweaty afterglow.

"You're going to be the death of me, sweetheart," Blaise breathed, pressing his mouth tenderly to her sweaty hairline, just above her ear, then withdrew and lifted off of her.

"I was just about to say the same thing," Lily admitted, groaning in discomfort as she stood, feeling every little ache and pain, both pleasurable and just annoying. She bit back a second groan as she bent to pick up her clothes to slip them back on.

Blaise, sitting back in his chair, shirt on but still unbuttoned, watched her. The sexy way she shimmied into her knickers and the seductive, slow glide of her skirt up her creamy thighs, over her still cherry red ass. He couldn't resist the pleased half smile, even as she put her sexy little lace brassiere back on. "Wait," he said firmly as she made to slip her blouse back on, and the redhead paused, looking at him questioningly with her intelligent hazel eyes, her rosy mouth pursed in confusion. "I wanted to make sure I remember precisely how sexy you look in your little skirt and heels and bra, with your hair down, knowing that perfect little ass is still bright red for me."

He relished her blush, even as she pulled her little sleeveless blouse on, unable to meet his eyes like every other time he paid her a compliment, but smiling nonetheless. "Oh," she said, and to his surprise, she looked up at him again, and her mouth was tilted into a coy smile, lashes hiding her lovely eyes. "I think we can make a better mental picture than that, though," she said softly, and then kissed him lightly, stepped back, hiked up her skirt once more, and planted a hand on one hip, twisting her lower half to display her bright red ass peeking out from her knickers as she leaned forward a little over his desk. And Godric Gryffindor's dirty whore, she looked like a witch who could pose for porn she was so enticing with her shirt undone and her perfect, cherry red ass displayed for him and him alone.

"Much better," he said roughly, and smoothed a hand over her ass, then spanked her lightly, teasingly. "But you should get dressed, my pet. There will be plenty of time later tonight for you to show off that ass for me."

Lily blushed again, even as she remembered, with horror, that it was Sunday, and she'd promised her mother, after a month and a half of skiving off, she'd actually attend Sunday dinner at the Potter residence. "Shit," she breathed, eyes going huge, and Blaise frowned, because if he didn't know better he'd think Lily looked panicked. "Shit, what time is it, Blaise?" she demanded, and grabbed his arm roughly to consult his wristwatch. "Fuck!" she hissed, grabbing her robes off the floor, pulling her hair up roughly in the next second.

"What's wrong?" Blaise demanded calmly.

Lily sighed. "I'm late," she snapped. "And my mother is going to _kill_ me."

Blaise frowned some more. "I don't understand. What are you late for, and why is your mother going to kill you?" His tone was still calm, but there was a note of firmness that made Lily's mind stray to what they'd just done, making her smile a tiny bit.

"Dinner," she said succinctly. "I'm late for dinner, and my mother is going to kill me because I've skipped Sunday dinner way too many times in a row. She's going to think I'm copping out on 'family time'."

Blaise grinned at that, at last buttoning his shirt over the creamy coffee coloured, toned perfection that was him naked from the waist up. "Are you?" he asked, looking amused.

"Of course," Lily said honestly. "I hate 'family time'."

Blaise stopped smiling at that. "Why should you hate spending time with your family?" he asked, sounding a little confused again. Lily pursed her mouth, sighing through her nose.

"I don't fit in with them. They're… Well, I mean, Albus is alright, I guess, and he's probably the one I'm closest to, but… I dunno. I've just never felt like I fit in with my family," she admitted. "I always felt like I wasn't a necessary piece of the whole."

Blaise frowned at that, and the redhead realized she was revealing far too much, and pulled away. "I have to go," she said, and kissed him. "I mean, we're done for now, right?" she added, because he was still frowning. "With the test potion?" she clarified.

"Of course, it needs to mature," Blaise said, brushing that query aside.

"Okay, then I'm out."

She kissed him, grinning against Zabini's mouth as he pulled her flush to him, grasping her ass through her skirt with both hands, and kissed her with much more intensity and thorough dominance. "You'll come back to my condo after you partially disappoint your mother and try to fit in with your family?" he pushed, after breaking away.

"Yes," she replied breathily, feeling half horny again after just a kiss. Blaise grunted, then kissed her again, tenderly.

"And you'll be a very good girl, and not get drunk, right?" he added teasingly, and Lily rolled her eyes, pushing him back, even as he held her close easily.

"Whatever," she mumbled, because that had been _one time_ she'd gone out with her cousin Rose since she'd become more than just Blaise Zabini's assistant.

"Alright then. Hurry up, sweetheart, you're late," he said. She kissed him one last time, biting his lower lip hard enough to push the boundaries of teasing, then pulled away and Disapparated with a loud pop. Blaise sighed, instantly missing Lily's smile as she disappeared before him, and sat back in his chair again, unable to help but look at his desk, where he'd fucked his assistant turned lover into screaming ecstasy minutes before. And already, he could picture having her there again, after a long hard day of brewing potions, and arguing theories with Lily and himself, trying to find the key ingredient to his latest invention in the meantime, in a back corner of his mind.

Instead of dwelling on it, though, Blaise pushed thoughts of Lily and their phenomenal fucking, and the even more phenomenal curves of her luscious, womanly frame, and most of all, thoughts of how badly he wanted her again, naked and begging for him, firmly from his mind. He wanted, and he might even be into a phase of bloody _needing_ Lily, but that was all. She was almost as good at her job as she was in bed, and he'd come to rely on her in the time she'd been employed by him. She had grown from a shy girl into a knowledgeable woman, who didn't hesitate to give her opinions and ideas, and who was becoming a helluva potioneer. And although a large part of Blaise rebelled at the notion of needing anything, from anyone, he couldn't deny that needing Lily didn't seem all that bad. And if he needed her a little, he was like fucking life support for her, certainly, and that thought made it all seem a little less uncomfortable.

In fact Lily, as she stumbled around her apartment, half dressed and in a frenzy, was thinking precisely that. That she had come, rapidly and thoroughly, addicted to Blaise Zabini. In every possible way. Being with him had become as easy and unconscious as breathing, and the redheaded witch couldn't, when she tried, fathom her life without the arrogant, wise, and sexy pureblood in it.

She sighed and walked into her parents' house fifteen minutes later, calling out a hello as she hung up her robes and moved into the kitchen toward the smells of roasting chicken and strawberry rhubarb pie. Albus and Scorpius were already seated at the table, and as Lily slid into her seat across from them, she saw her brother's dark brows lift. He exchanged a look with Scorpius, and Lily narrowed her eyes, promising vengeance if her brother should try ratting her out for activities she was positive he couldn't know about.

"Hey, Lils," Albus said, then flicked a glance to his lover, whose mouth thinned. "Come have a smoke with me," the green eyed wizard said. Lily's lip curled.

"Ew. I don't smoke, Albus." Her brother smirked, even as he stood, then briefly kissed the corner of Scorpius's frowning mouth.

"Come keep me company, then," he said and Lily sighed, even as she got up and followed her older brother outside into the back garden.

"What?" she demanded, folding her arms against the early May chill.

"How long?" Albus asked, lighting his fag with his wand tip, pulling in a lungful of cancerous smoke before blowing it out.

"How long, what?" Lily demanded.

Albus rolled vibrant green eyes. "I'm doing you a favour, Lils, by not having this conversation in front of the parentals," he said. "I'm not blind, and neither is Scor. How long have you been sleeping with him?"

"Who?" Lily asked, feigning confusion.

"Boo, Lily. And here you're supposed to be the smart one," Albus sighed, and tutted mockingly. "Zabini, of course."

Lily's face went red. "I'm not-"

"Don't lie," her brother said harshly. "I can see the fucking hickey on your neck. And I know for a fact the only other guy you've gotten a hickey from is gayer than a bloody maypole." Lily blushed darker, because it wasn't _her_ fault she'd had a crush on what she'd assumed was a straight Scorpius Malfoy just before he'd gotten with her brother. And even if he'd been her first kiss, and first hickey, she was still embarrassed he'd ended up fancying blokes, and more precisely her _brother_ , after snogging her. She pulled her collar tighter on her neck, and Albus smirked. "So?" he demanded, offering her a drag from his cigarette. Lily's eyes flicked back to the house, then she took a small puff and handed it back. "How long, then?"

Lily forced a shrug. "Since Athens," she admitted. They'd gotten back from a two week visit to the ancient city, where Blaise had been doing research into some of the more promising Ancient Greek potion records that she felt would be far more helpful than Rome had been. And while Lily wasn't yet convinced they'd amount to anything, even she had to admit, the Ancient Greeks seemed to have their potion making down to an art.

Albus lifted dark brows. "Lily, you got home from Athens a-"

"Month ago," she finished, scowling. "I'm aware, Albus. What's the point?"

Her older brother looked at her then sighed. "Look, I don't want to be the one to tell you this, but you're playing with fire, Lils." The redhead's lip curled again. "No, hear me out," he said, raising a hand as she reached for her wand. "Who's to say it's ever going to be more than a convenient lay for him, Lily? Shit, if I know you at _all_ , you're already in love with him."

"I am not!" she snapped, even though part of her was aware she was flat out lying.

"Bull," Albus said simply. "If it was a no-strings sex thing you wouldn't care if the whole world knew," Albus insisted.

Lily scowled. "Even if that's the case, it would matter to Blaise, and we aren't-"

"Oh, honey," Albus sighed, and then rolled his eyes at her. "That right there just put the nail in the coffin. You wouldn't give a damn what he thought if you didn't care."

Lily shook her head. "So what if we're fucking?" she hissed. "It's no one else's business, and it's not a big deal." She drew herself up to her full five feet four inches. "And even if it _were_ ," she added with finality, "it doesn't change anything. So what if I feel anything? I'm not an idiot, Albus. It's going to be goodbye the second he realizes it's already gone too far, and even if I fall for him, so what? Don't I deserve to make that mistake?"

Albus pulled her into a hug, smelling like cigarettes and really nice cologne, and she sighed, because she couldn't remember the last time he'd hugged her like that. "You do," he admitted, "but that doesn't mean any of us want to see you get hurt, Lils. And Zabini's going to break your heart."

Lily pulled away from the embrace. "It doesn't matter," she said blandly, trying to keep her emotions at bay and think logically. "I'm not stupid, Albus. He's Blaise fucking Zabini. He could have any witch he wants, but he's picked me. I'm not fool enough to turn him down, even if I'm only ever a convenient lay."

Albus shook his head, even as she pushed past him to go back inside. "And you could have any other wizard," he mumbled, pushing a hand through his dark hair, knowing Scorpius would be pissed he hadn't been able to talk his sister out of messing around with Blaise Zabini. But, he had to admit, Lily could definitely do worse, if he was being honest. He doubted Scorpius would agree, or the rest of his family for that matter, if they found out, but Albus couldn't deny, the Lily who'd sat down across from him at their parents' table had not been the same Lily he'd last seen. She'd aged within and matured, probably because she'd _finally_ gotten good and laid, and he supposed Zabini was responsible for seeing Lily finally grown up into a woman. And Albus couldn't fault the wizard for that, even if he still wanted to hex him for messing with his little sister.

Lily sat back down at the table, feeling mutinous, and shot Scorpius Malfoy a dark look. So far as she was concerned, that last little lecture had been mostly all his fault. To her surprise, he gave her a dark look back, even as Albus sat down beside him, shaking his dark head minutely. Lily shrugged, because she didn't give a Fizzing Whizbee about whether or not Scorpius agreed with her decision to keep seeing Blaise on a personal level while working for him.

XXX


	8. Chapter 8

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Much later, Lily was pressing her palm against Blaise's front door, bypassing his magical wards easily as she carefully turned the doorknob and then paused at the sound of voices within her lover's condo.

"You're making a mistake, Zabini, and a grave one," said a posh, male voice, laced with derision.

Her brow furrowed. "Hardly, Malfoy," Blaise replied easily, even as he swirled the brandy in his glass uneasily. He couldn't deny that what Draco was saying made sense, but he wasn't prepared to give up Lily, even if his longtime friend should prove to be right.

"Come, Blaise," Draco said loftily. "You have to know to toy with the Potter girl is to play with fire, and you're going to get burned."

Lily felt herself scowl at that. How dare he! Draco Malfoy didn't even _know_ her! Who was he to say Blaise would get burned by playing with her!? She closed the door firmly behind herself, and strode with confidence into Blaise's sitting room, not even bothering to greet Draco Malfoy, who arched a blond brow at his friend.

"Hello," she said, smiling at her boss turned lover, and could tell immediately, by the set of his shoulders and mouth, he was displeased. "I'm going to go check on the potion," she said lightly, cast Draco a bland look without bothering to even attempt a polite hello, and turned away from both wizards toward the second bedroom that Blaise had converted into a Potions lab.

The redhead didn't bother to close the door behind her, and heard the soft, muffled sounds of the men talking, before a door closed and she turned to see Blaise leaning in the doorway, regarding her intently. "You heard Draco, I imagine," he said without meeting her eyes.

Lily, who turned back to the cauldron bubbling on the workbench before her, made a vague sound of agreement. She opened her notebook, which lay precisely where she'd left it, and began making notes on the steadily maturing potion before her. She felt rather than heard Blaise approach, and closed her eyes briefly, savouring the warmth of his hand as it smoothed over her shoulder.

"He's wrong, of course," Blaise continued. Lily arched a brow and Blaise smirked, because he could all but taste the tension rolling off of Lily. It was obvious she didn't like that his longtime friend had all but told him to get over her, and he wondered if she was afraid he might actually listen. Because although Draco had presented a very logical and straightforward case for just why it was foolish and unethical and downright stupid to continue fucking Lily Potter, Blaise didn't much care, honestly. He was selfish, and the thought of giving up what had only recently become a treasured plaything, brought him to the verge of tantrums.

"How so?" the redheaded witch asked softly. She closed her eyes, needing to hear her lover say the one thing she hoped he would.

"Well for one, I can't say I've ever actually be burned, despite my intimate acquaintance with fire," he said easily, and that made her mouth quirk up a little. "And for two, I've absolutely no intentions of ever being burned." Lily hummed as his other hand came to rest on her other shoulder, and his hands slowly massaged her stiff flesh. "And, last but not least, Draco is wrong because the only way that would occur is if someone untrustworthy was to find out." His hands stilled on her. "Isn't that right, my pet?"

Lily smiled a little sadly, and put her quill to parchment again. "Of course," she said lightly, and then gasped, because her lover's hands moved forward and down, over her breasts, and began unbuttoning her blouse.

"Wrong response," he said, and she sucked in a deep breath, trying to maintain herself.

"Blaise, I-"

"No," he said firmly, and she couldn't resist the lure of his iron-laced voice that spoke with absolute authority. He finished unbuttoning her blouse and slid it off her shoulders. Lily opened her mouth to tell him, or at least try, that somehow her brother and Scorpius knew, had figured it out, but then she felt her wrists lock together behind her back, and a soft moan escaped her lips instead. He eased the straps of her brassiere down, and Lily shuddered with anticipation when his warm, sensual mouth kissed her shoulder, then further in, and then the junction of her neck, lips covering the darkening bite mark from earlier.

The redhead sucked in a breath through her nose, tilting her head to afford her lover better access, even as he moved his hands around her front, easing her bra down, baring her breasts for his pleasure. "Blaise," she hummed, and gasped when he tugged at her piercings. "Ooh, please!" she gasped again when he rolled her hard nipples expertly.

"Right here, my pet?" he rumbled into her ear, even as she heard him undoing his belt and trousers.

Lily groaned as desire flooded her, lighting up her nerve endings like a Christmas tree and getting her wet and ready for him. "Yes, Sir," she said clearly, her voice sure and thick with her desire.

"Stand up," he commanded, and she stood off her stool carefully, her arms still pinned behind her. "Turn around," Blaise added, a little lower, a little rougher, and Lily's arousal flamed hotter, even as she turned to face him. She knew precisely what she would look like, arms behind her back, breasts pushed out, her bra pushed down beneath them, still in her skirt. The dark haired, dark eyed wizard moved in closer, until her arms hit the workbench, and Lily felt him pin her lightly with his body, even as his full, sensual mouth quirked into a smile. "The only way I plan to give you up is if my hand is forced," he rumbled, then kissed her, hard and hot and thoroughly, and Lily submitted willingly to him.

He released her wrists from their magical binding and hefted her easily up onto his workbench. Lily's legs fell open as she laid back, and Blaise couldn't hold back any longer. He slid her skirt up, her panties off, and filled her, then set a punishing pace, loving her hard and fast, holding her thighs for more leverage, pounding her into ecstasy. And when she reached a screaming release, her orgasm slamming through her as hard as his thrusts had been, shattering her flimsy defences around her heart, she screamed his name even as her nails raked up his back through his shirt and robes.

When the redheaded witch finally opened her eyes again, breathing fast and hard, trying to savour the last trembling aftershocks of pleasure, she became aware Blaise was looking at her. "What?" she asked, sitting up and immediately pulling her bra back on properly.

"You always do that," he said softly, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I'm not entirely sure I like it." Lily frowned, because she had no clue what he was talking about, and he was blocking her descent from the workbench.

"Do what?" she asked, tugging her skirt down.

"Get dressed immediately after I fuck you senseless when we're out of bed." Lily paused, then looked away. She always felt, unless there was the implied intimacy and secrecy of a bed, distinctly vulnerable after sex, and clothing was a tangible shield to hide behind.

"We're at work," she said, trying to slip down off the workbench. Blaise stepped back and Lily grabbed her blouse, sliding it on efficiently, snatching up her damp, sticky panties she really didn't want to put back on.

"We're not at work," Blaise said, moving toward her, and Lily blushed, because he hadn't bothered to get dressed. In fact, he'd stepped out of his pants entirely, wearing only his boxer briefs and socks. "We're in my condo," he added, moving toward her and stilling her hands as she made to button her blouse again.

"You know what I mean," Lily said with a hint of irritation, because they were supposed to be working. Lily would never forgive him, or herself, if the potion over cooked because they were fooling around.

"I checked it a half hour ago. We won't know until at least tomorrow morning." Lily scowled.

"You were supposed to wait for me to get back!" she snapped, because she wanted to evaluate the potion with Blaise, not read his poorly transcribed notes.

Blaise pulled her closer, even as she braced her hands on his chest in a half hearted attempt to stop him. Her body warmed at the closeness to him, turning molten and soft, and when he pressed her close, she let out a shaky breath of desire. "I had to distract myself from thinking about you, my pet. And then, of course, came the redundant visit from Draco, as you know."

Lily's mouth pursed. "Yes," she said, trying not to sound grouchy about _Draco's_ visit. That philandering, womanizing arse had the nerve to think she would be like the trollops he slept with, who probably required paying off to keep their mouths shut, did he!? Her temper flared just thinking it.

"Hmm, anger suits you wonderfully, Lily," Blaise murmured, sliding her blouse off once more. "Come to bed, sweetheart," he rumbled.

Lily sucked in a breath, then felt her resolve crumble when he kissed her soft and lingeringly, making her naive, foolish heart want to burst. Because she'd done it. She'd gone and fallen in love with the one man she couldn't have, the one wizard who was wrong for her in so many ways, and yet right for her in all the ones that counted. Lily admitted it to herself. She was in love with Blaise Zabini, and the second he knew it, she would be yesterday's news. "Okay," the redhead breathed, and let him lead the way from his miniature lab to his bedroom, climbing into bed with him.

She wanted to absorb every possible second she could with Blaise before the inevitable end, and even if her heart broke, she would at least always have the memories. And in the meantime, she would have to start thinking seriously about her own future. Because Lily knew if whatever kind of affair they were having met its demise, there was no way in hell she could work for him any longer. So she'd have to start saving her Knuts and thinking hard about what she really needed to do to be able to start her own career.

But for now, she had Blaise, and Lily pushed her mind free of thoughts about anything other than his hands, and mouth, against her flesh and the solid warmth of his presence with her in bed. She loved him, and for now, she would enjoy it, even if he'd never know.

A few days later, Blaise mentioned that he wanted to spend some time over the summer, for only 'a couple months probably', in the southwest of the United States. And then he mentioned owning a property somewhere in Arizona, where they'd get the chance to study several rare desert plants that were key in lust potions, both in his private greenhouses and the wild. Lily, who was all for going away with Blaise again, especially after the last time, and looking forward to brushing up on her knowledge about desert flora, agreed she would go for the requested, 'couple months'.

By the time Sunday dinner had rolled around again, Lily, who'd sat in on the plans Blaise penned to his secretary for their trip that would start part way through June and wrap up probably by the end of August, was getting downright excited about it. Blaise's property included what he'd referred to as a cottage, but which, she presumed, was probably as posh as any other lodging she'd seen of his, and so long as she was spending her days, and nights, with Blaise, Lily didn't much care where they stayed. Of course, until Blaise mentioned they might be camping out, and she'd have to be mindful of snakes whose venom could kill.

"Though," he'd said fairly, "should we stumble upon any rattlesnakes, I'd like to be able to collect their venom. It's damn expensive to buy, and never fresh enough, so getting some from the source is preferable."

That made the redheaded witch feel a tiny bit wary, but she supposed Blaise had done this before, and she trusted that he could handle things. And so they were booked for a private, non-stop Portkey to Phoenix at eight o'clock on the fifteenth of June.

And, for the second week in a row, Lily was headed to Sunday dinner to break it to her parents early, so they could come to terms with the fact she'd skip out on some of their favourite and most important holidays that summer. To go away with her boss, strictly on business, of course. Even though she knew Albus, and probably Scorpius too, would be sending her the chastising sort of look that told her to tell the whole truth. But Lily simply _couldn't_ do that. She'd all but promised Blaise she wouldn't. It was already bad enough having her brother and his blond, slightly annoying lover in the loop, and Lily didn't want any more of her family to know.

She dressed nice, putting on her perfume as per usual after her quick shower at home, thinking only of Blaise as she washed herself, and made sure she looked extra presentable for Sunday dinner. Lightweight white cotton blouse with no sleeves that tied around the smallest part of her waist over a high-waisted, just above the knee length skirt in a floaty material in a million shades of green, and although she was tempted to wear the heels she knew Blaise liked best, she opted for flats instead. No need to raise anyone's suspicions, after all.

When she got there, James was present, and Lily noticed he'd brought the little blonde witch, the one who wrote borderline slanderous articles for _The Daily Prophet_ 's gossip section, often about Blaise, and his apparent 'lack of romantic interests'. And Lily was willing to bet Emily Edwards was there with James because they both thought she was sleeping with Blaise, and would try to get her to admit it.

The redhead bit her lip for a moment, because, unlike the last time she'd been ambushed by her eldest brother's nosy girlfriend, pretend or real she wasn't sure honestly, she didn't have the truth on her side. She _was_ sleeping with Blaise, and loving every hot, debauched second of it, and she wasn't sure she could fend off questions designed to make her look guilty. Her fair skin and easy blush had always betrayed her, and James would know if she lied, she was positive.

Lily squared her shoulders and put on a dazzlingly fake smile, hugging her parents, and then James, and then shaking Emily's hand respectfully. "So lovely to see you again," the redhead lied through her teeth, smiling the whole time. She would be pleasant, but distant with Edwards, and if anything was ever written, in more than just suspicion, about her, she'd sue the cute little grey pinstripe pant suit off the fucking bitch after cursing her silly.

"Likewise," Emily said grinning smugly. "Come and tell me _all_ about your work with the Most Eligible Wizard in the UK."

Lily couldn't help it and actually laughed. She'd almost forgotten Blaise's media titles, in her time with him, both intimate and not, and to be reminded made it seem silly she'd ever thought he'd care about such things. "Right," Lily said when she finally managed to stop laughing. "Er, I can't really tell you anything specific about our work, because, obviously, it's entirely private, but you can rest assured, we're on the cutting edge of potioneering. So...yeah. That's about it."

The redheaded witch forced a smile, even as she imagined herself cursing the stupid blonde witch who sat beside her on the couch. "So the speculation that Zabini has been spending time with someone no one knows, does that hold any merit?"

Lily shrugged. "I guess? Or maybe not. I don't know who he spends time with outside work," she lied, hoping she wouldn't betray herself. Because she knew it was her that Blaise was spending his free time with, because she was spending her time away from work almost exclusively with him.

Emily's gaze flicked to James for a second, and then she looked more determined. "What if I told you some people thought _you_ might be the reason Blaise Zabini hasn't dated anyone publicly for months now, and why his relationship status at present is being all hushed up?" the blonde witch asked. Lily forced herself not to react at all. She even managed not to blush.

"I'd say those people need to get a life," she replied quite evenly, effectively not answering the question, and stood up steadily as Albus and Scorpius arrived. "And if you're one of them," she added, looking at James pointedly as well, "that's kind of sad. Go find something important to worry about, instead of some wizard who brews potions for a living and who he might be fucking."

Lily forced herself to walk away, feeling her temper rising out of control, and tried to take deep breaths, even as she went to go greet Albus and Scorpius. She didn't see the way James and Emily looked at one another, or the way James grimaced, knowing his little sister had slept with her boss, and was probably still screwing the bastard's brains out. He knew, like Albus, the only way Lily would defend the fucker, and try to protect him, was if she'd somehow gone and developed feelings for Zabini, which, considering as far as he knew his sister had zero experience with guys, made him awfully pissed. James was certain Zabini would use Lily, and then drop her and break her heart, and it fired up his protective streak. He'd do whatever it took to make sure that wouldn't happen. That if she split with Zabini, she'd do it on her terms, not his, and preferably after realizing the guy was a prick.

"Well?" Emily demanded in a hushed whisper.

"She's guilty as sin," James sighed, feeling bad even as he ratted Lily out to a gossip. "But she'll never admit it."

Emily merely grinned, looking pleased. "We'll see," she said brightly, then leaned over and kissed him. "And don't think I'm not thankful, James," she added in a purr. "I can show you just how thankful I am you want to protect your sister and help me sell newspapers when we get back to my place."

James grunted, because he was definitely looking forward to that. Emily was a great lay, and although he sometimes didn't like her allusions to Lily in print, he knew she was doing it for good reason. To get Lily away from Zabini, preferably without having her heart broken, which was also James's goal.

Lily ignored her eldest brother and his quasi-girlfriend until dinner was served and everyone was seated around the dining table. Lily pretended she didn't mind sitting next to Emily Edwards, and kept her head turned toward her mother as the other redheaded witch talked about the first meeting for the annual St. Mungo's Charity Gala. Not because she was particularly interested, but she was loathe to catch Emily's eye and have the blonde witch start asking her uncomfortable questions again.

"And even though Astoria Malfoy is a horribly condescending woman, no offense Scorpius, dear, I have to admit," Ginny said, waving her fork, "the thought of using Malfoy Manor's extensive gardens for the event has much more merit than the usual Ministry Atrium." Lily made a noncommittal noise of assent, because she privately thought at least with the Ministry of Magic Atrium, there wouldn't be a horde of House Elves for wait staff. "Anyway, at least we've all decided on a date for the event, even if some of the others think the Malfoy gardens are a little too much," Ginny said. "Which reminds me, Lily, honey, we'll have to go shopping together beforehand, for something to wear."

The redhead swallowed her mouthful of roasted chicken. "When is it?" she asked.

"Not until the end of June, but I want to get my dress before Pansy Parkinson, because that woman is always determined to one up me, and I know if we go to Twilfit and Tattings early, the bitch won't buy the same robes if the saleslady mentions I've already ordered them." The redhead felt her stomach sink and took a long drink of water, trying to steel her courage.

"Oh," she said lightly. "Sure, I'd love to go shopping with you, Mum, but I don't think I'll be able to make the Gala, personally," she said, trying to sound blase about it. Instantly, she felt all eyes on her.

"Why ever not?" Ginny demanded, and Lily felt her face heating with a blush.

"I won't be here," she said, and cleared her throat. "Actually, I won't be here for the Gala _or_ the Victory Day celebrations, this year."

"Why not?" Ginny asked, sounding scandalized, while her father glared.

"I have to work," she said lightly, shooting Albus a look across the table as he smirked knowingly.

"Surely Zabini will understand that your attendance is practically mandatory for the Victory Day celebrations," Harry said darkly from the head of the table. "Even if the sneaky bastard hid out on the Continent during the Battle," he added under his breath, scowling. Lily narrowed her eyes a little, striving not to snap back at that comment, even as Scorpius tensed, knowing the role his own family members played in the war.

"Come now, honey, I'm sure if you asked, Zabini will give you the days off," Ginny said fairly.

Lily gulped. "It's not really possible," she said, looking at her plate. Because while she knew Blaise would certainly grant her the days off, she'd be in Arizona with him, and wouldn't _want_ to come back to Britain, especially without him. "I'm going to be out of the country," she said.

There was a beat of silence following her softly spoken words. "Where will you be going?" Emily asked, and Lily grit her teeth.

"Abroad," she said unhelpfully barely glancing at the blonde witch. Albus smirked wider.

"Going back to Athens, Lils?" he asked.

"Or perhaps another stint in Rome?" Scorpius supplied.

"Figures," Harry Potter muttered. "Wouldn't be the first time Zabini was conveniently abroad."

"I don't see why it matters where we'll be," Lily said passionately, and shot her father a dark look. "And just for the record, Dad," she added, striving to remain calm and polite, "there were lots of wizards who went abroad during the war and Voldemort's reign, not just Blaise. And plenty who stayed right here in England and didn't join the cause." Then she sent a raised brow look at Scorpius. "Right, Malfoy?" she added viciously.

Albus and Scorpius glared in tandem, even as Ginny hissed, "Lily Luna!" sharply.

The redheaded witch merely shrugged. "Just stating the facts," she said levelly, trying to remain composed. "Anyway, I'm going to be gone for awhile," she said. And nothing more was said about it, at least so far as Lily knew, considering she left directly after pudding.

Lily couldn't help but feel utterly lonely when she Flooed home to her flat, and curled up into a ball in bed after stripping out of her clothes, and held her pillow as she cried. She hated that she couldn't confide in any of them, that she simply had to choose her own selfish needs over sharing with her family the happiness she'd found. And Lily knew, even if she _were_ selfless enough to even tell them about how much she felt for Blaise, she wouldn't meet with any sort of approval from her family.

The redhead knew, because she'd had the same arguments with herself, months ago. He was so much older than her, and had so much more experience, as she was so young, and naive, and although she knew no one would say it out loud, they'd all think she was only supposedly in love with him because he was the first wizard she'd ever had more than three dates with.

But it was more, much more, than that for Lily. It was more than the sex, or the fact that Blaise was such an accomplished and thorough lover. It was more than the ego-inflating fact he was so desirable to the wizarding world's female population, and yet he'd somehow still chosen her. It was the innate feeling of rightness she felt when they brewed together in his laboratory. It was the flutter of delighted anticipation in her belly when he kissed her for no other reason than wanting to taste her lips. And, most of all, it was the warmth and purpose he'd brought to her life. She had someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to force her to weed out her more harebrained plans, instead of justifying them to herself, and simply someone to be with the odd time they happened to just lie together, nude, in bed without speaking, merely drinking in the sight of one another.

She forced herself to get up, and stop whining about being a misunderstood, tragic figure, and told herself to get ready for Arizona, stuffing all the confusing emotions and thoughts down deep where they could be ignored. It would be hot as Hell, undoubtedly, so she'd have to brush up on Cooling Charms and what clothing would work best, and she needed to definitely do some research to brush up on her knowledge of what plants they might encounter. There was work to be done, and that made Lily feel a tiny bit better about her predicament. She'd always worked, and worked hard. She'd be desert-ready in no time!

Lily attended one more Sunday dinner before she left, biting her tongue against the rude retorts as her father, and Albus and Scorpius, and even her mother, all told her it was disappointing and unfortunate, and even a downright shame, she'd be missing most of her family's favourite holidays. Lily tried to bear the words with good grace, insisting she would benefit academically from the trip, even as Scorpius looked politely skeptical, and her father still grumbled about how she'd even miss his birthday.

The redheaded witch reminded him he hated his birthday, and Harry harrumphed, but left it alone. She left not long after pudding, feeling edgy and like her family were all silently communicating about her, probably thinking she was distancing herself from them. Lily pushed those thoughts away. She wanted to go to Arizona with Blaise, learn all she could for her future career after her apprenticeship finished, and spend every other moment basking in her secret love for him and drowning her sorrows in the pleasures he could bring her.

Lily was sporting dozens of golden freckles across the bridge of her nose, and a very light golden tan across her chest, back, and shoulders and on her legs by the time September rolled around and she and Blaise had finally returned to England. But while Lily had only gotten moderately tanned over the summer, considering she'd worn sunscreen almost religiously and tried to stay out of the sun when possible, Blaise had turned steadily more bronze over the weeks, and his skin tone had darkened to a dusky, swarthy shade that Lily found utterly suited him. And she knew for a fact, he was tanned pretty much everywhere, too.

And even though Lily was glad to be home when she finally hit solid ground in the International Portkey Terminal, she found herself already missing the warmth and lovely sunset they'd left behind in Arizona. She released the empty old beer can that was their Portkey and turned to Blaise, who smirked at her. "Back to the real world, Miss Potter," he said lightly, and she laughed as he escorted her out of the building and into the fog and drizzle of London, even as the redhead wondered if they were going to his condo, or if he expected she would simply go home to her lifeless flat.

Once outside, he reached for her hand, and glanced sideways at her, and Lily braced herself for the Apparition, unable to quell the surge of emotion warming her chest as they reappeared in Blaise's bedroom in his London condominium. She dropped her bag, her dark haired lover doing the same, and in the next breath, he was kissing her, pulling her flush to him, and Lily melted with easy familiarity all over his front, snogging him back as she granted his tongue entrance to her mouth. "Bed time," Blaise finally grunted between hungry kisses, and Lily, smiled, not wanting anything else.

"Agreed," she panted back, and began stripping her lover as they kissed and hands roved eagerly over each other's flesh. Lily moaned when he teased her nipples leisurely after stripping her tank top and vest, palming the full, supple mounds of her breasts, tugging with amusement at her piercings and making her breathing hitch and wobble. "Unh, _Blaise_!" she moaned as liquid arousal jolted from her nipples to her core, creating a slick, warm welcome for whatever her lover felt like putting between her legs.

"So eager," he said teasingly, then lifted her with ease and carried her back toward his bed. Lily revelled in the feeling of being sexy and attractive enough to warrant such an accomplished wizard's attentions, knowing she was only living on borrowed time, and someday, probably soon, Blaise would leave her and move on to the next witch. She pointedly didn't think about that, though. She simply basked in the innate feeling of rightness that settled over her as Blaise laid her down in his bed and kissed her with consummate skill.

For his part, Blaise was unable to resist her, or the lusciousness of her young, nubile body, and snogged her harder, even as he ground himself between her parted thighs. It had been less than twelve hours since he'd last been inside her, but it felt far too long for him. A tiny part of his consciousness warned about getting too attached, and that his dependence on her, both in and out of bed, was going to cost him someday, but the majority didn't give a shit. She was gorgeous, and eager, and altogether beautiful, and he'd come to rely on her entirely. When he wanted to sulk and smash things, especially during their stint in Arizona that summer, she was the willing outlet for his frustrations, and the voice of reason that assured him his setbacks weren't synonymous with failure. When he felt elated at some kind of accomplishment in his brewing, she was the vessel to channel his happiness, and celebrated with him heartily. But most of all, when the anniversary of his mother's death and the victory of Light over Dark and the end of Voldemort's reign passed, she was the one who held him close, stroking his hair and telling him everything he'd needed to hear.

Blaise knew he was fucked, because there was a very good chance he might be falling in love with his redheaded research assistant and potioneering partner, and yet, as his tongue slid over hers, her hands clutching him close as he filled her slowly, the dark haired, dark eyed pureblood couldn't bring himself to regret it. She complimented and completed him in the best of ways, and he, being the Slytherin he was, wanted all of her, exclusively, forever.

He pulled away from her mouth to kiss her neck as he slid in and out of her slick core, loving the way she moaned his name. "Lily," he grunted, and then bit her gently, suckling the silky skin of her neck hard enough to leave a mark. "Tell me you want this," he demanded, pulling back further, rising onto his elbows, thrusting a little harder and a little faster.

Her head tilted back, hazel eyes closed, face a mask of ecstatic pleasure as his prick grazed her g-spot with every withdrawal and thrust back in. "I want this, Blaise," she panted.

"Tell me you _need_ it," he growled, hooking an arm under her creamy thigh, holding her open wider, wanting to be as deep as possible in her. He felt his arousal coiling within, the heat in his belly blazing, bollocks now slapping her pert little arse as he fucked her.

"Yes, _yes_ , Blaise!" she moaned. "Yes, I need this!" Her voice was rocky and he grunted as she bit her lip, eyes squeezing tighter shut. "Yes, Sir, _please_!"

"Not yet," he said, all but certain his lover was on the verge of coming, slowing his pace, even as he felt his balls tightening as she pulsed and clamped around him, her fluttering walls trying to undo his iron control.

Lily whined and writhed, bucking up into him, digging her nails into his shoulders as she clutched him. "Please?" she panted. "Sir, please, I want to come for you so bad," she moaned, and he felt her clench again. Blaise grunted, licking between her heaving breasts, tasting the salty tang of sweat on her skin, thrusting fast and deep now. He could never deny her.

"Tell me who owns you, Lily," he demanded through clenched teeth, trying to hold back, even as he felt his own orgasm slipping past the point of no return.

"You, Blaise," she declared, opening her eyes and looking right at him. "Just you, Blaise."

He groaned, and fucked her hard and fast, hearing her launch into nirvana even as his balls tightened almost painfully and he filled her with his essence, driving as deep as possible into her shuddering quim. Blaise felt his brain go fuzzy, but for the errant thought, as he spilled himself in a climax that seemed to go on forever, that he would be well and truly fucked if Lily ever figured out how badly he needed her and how completely he was in love with her. Because she was young, and perfect, and had a whole future ahead of her, most of which he doubted would include him. She was a rising star in the world of potioneering, and, even if it was still years down the road, he would eventually wane and become nothing more than a name of a wizard who'd once been famous for his contributions. Losing her was a certainty, and one he'd braced for, but Blaise now wondered how he could guarantee her to stay.

XXX


	9. Chapter 9

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

A week after they'd returned from their summer stay in Arizona, Blaise, and by extension Lily herself, were invited to a gala for the Society of Extraordinary Potioneers, to celebrate the life and accomplishments of one Severus Tobias Snape. The dour Potions Master Lily had only heard of, would be receiving a posthumous award for the initial research that had lead others, recently, to patent a cure for restoring muscle function after the Cruciatus Curse. The redhead was looking forward to going, as well as to being Blaise's date in the gown she'd bought specially for the occasion while they were in the States, but she was nervous too.

It would be difficult to be under public scrutiny for such a long period of time, and be forced to treat her boss turned lover with nothing more than polite friendship and portray nothing deeper than that of a Potions Master and apprentice relationship. She'd gotten quite comfortable being more openly affectionate and physical with Blaise on their sabbatical, barely thinking before she jolted onto her toes to kiss him, or hugging him spur of the moment, and habitually holding his hand if they walked together. And now a large part of Lily was terrified she'd make a mistake, and someone would find out just how close she and Blaise had become.

She sighed as a warm hand smoothed over her exposed shoulder as she stood in Blaise's bedroom, and the tension within her instantly melted from the contact, even as the warm palm and teasing, stroking fingers meandered down the exposed curve of her back, goosebumps erupting over her spine the whole way. "You look stunning, my pet," Blaise said in that rough, husky voice, right against her ear, that made her knickers wet. His fingertips skated back up her spine, eliciting another round of goosebumps in their wake, and Lily's breasts, hard nippled and aching for those fingers to tease them, heaved with her heavy breathing. "Good enough to eat, I'd wager," Blaise added, and Lily melted back against him, feeling and hearing his low chuckle. "Mmm, but we'll both have to be patient for that, my pet," he purred against her ear, his fingers brushing one pebbled nipple. "Otherwise we shall both be _very_ late, and that would no doubt cause some sort of scandal."

"Yes, Sir," she whispered, biting her lip to stay the urge to moan as he pulled away from her, his sure hands setting her away from himself, as if she could possibly tempt him the way she was inexorably drawn to him. They Apparated from Blaise's condo and upon arriving at the event, Lily took a tiny step away from the wizard beside her, pasted on a fake smile, and was almost blinded by flashbulbs as people started taking her picture.

She was pleased to see her gown wasn't _too_ unique, compared to some of the much more flamboyant dresses and robes she'd spotted amongst her socializing, and was almost perfect in holding back every little urge she had to simply melt into Blaise's side, or grasp his hand, or kiss him when some other plucky witch had the audacity to flirt with him. The only slip she had was when she talked to the potioneer who'd taken Snape's initial research and finished it to fruition, whom she greatly admired upon first meeting, because the young man had so much boundless energy radiating out from him, his bright, silvery blue eyes seeming to perpetually smile. Lily hadn't been able, when Gavin Gartner was explaining how the simple task of making coffee had helped him think more exponentially about his potion, grasping Blaise's arm briefly, eyes flicking up to meet those impossibly dark ones that seemed to smile back.

A few hours later, Lily couldn't help but moan as Blaise pinned her against his front door, his mouth taking ownership of hers, tongue sliding over Lily's own sleek muscle. Her wrists were held in unyielding shackles by her lover's hands, and his larger body had trapped her pelvis firmly against the portal. "I can't wait to have you, pet," the pureblood wizard growled after breaking away at last. With a flick of his wand the door was opened, and with a twist and twirl of it after he'd pulled her impossibly closer and stepped through the open door they were locked in, the wards kicking back in. "What do you want first, my pet?" Blaise demanded as he kept walking her back, her body moulded to his, still in that rough growl. He paused halfway through the lounge, awaiting her response.

"I want-" Lily began, breathily heavily, pupils dilating as possibilities flooded in her mind. But before she could finish her thought, just as Blaise shifted his grip to haul her upright entirely, her legs instinctively going around his waist as she buried her face in his neck, the Floo flared to life.

Blaise looked over at the damnable flash of green fire, and saw Draco Malfoy's head, looking both condescendingly and smugly back at him. "So sorry, I didn't know you were busy, old friend," the blond pureblood drawled, and his eyes slid pointedly over Lily, whom Blaise was still holding, her dress bunched obscenely at her waist, and the long, revealing expanse of her leg that was wrapped him.

The dark haired wizard didn't want to beat around the bush before he told his 'old friend' to fuck off. "What do you want, Malfoy?" he asked bluntly, arching a brow with impatience when Draco merely smirked at him.

"It can wait. Shall I Floo you tomorrow morning, perhaps? Or will your _assistant_ still be preoccupying you?" Draco finally asked when Blaise's impatience slipped into an angry scowl.

"Go fuck yourself," Blaise said, turning away and heading again, with purpose now, to his bedroom. Malfoy laughed before his head slipped from the fire and the green flames died.

"I might hate him," Lily said when Blaise had finally gotten to his bedroom and after she'd slid from his grasp before she stepped back from him. Instantly he wanted to grasp her close again, but he paused, wondering where she was going with whatever snit she'd somehow worked herself into. "But I'm not going to let a _Malfoy_ ruin my plans," she added after a beat. Blaise moved closer, but she held up a hand. "I want to get undressed for you," she purred, and felt her arousal harden her nipples as Blaise's eyes darkened. "That's what I'd like to do first, Sir," she murmured.

"Do it now," Blaise said, forcing away the uncomfortable urge to simply rip her gown off as fast as possible and get her horizontal as he moved to sit on his bed.

Lily licked her lips, a tiny bit nervous, and feeling kind of embarrassed about how badly she wanted to please him, and tried to tell herself she was brave. She started slow, knowing after she took off her gown there wasn't much left to strip, and her hands glided up her sides, cupping her own breasts and lightly teasing her hard nipples through the silk. Her fingers teased herself until she met Blaise's eyes and saw his impatience to relinquish her illusion of power, and then slid her hands up to her neck and undid the trio of buttons that held the neck of her gown up.

Another brush of her fingers had the top portion whispering down and off of her chest, and Blaise had to make a fist to resist the urge to simply walk over and finish what Lily had started on herself. "You make a _very_ tempting minx, my pet," he said, and reached up to undo his tie. Hazel eyes widened with delight, but she only smiled.

The skirt, which had fallen back down, she grasped and began to inch upward, gradually revealing more and more of her legs, then slowly paced toward her boss turned lover. By the time she reached him, the dress was dangerously close to revealing her tiny little mint green knickers that had almost no substance whatsoever. When she turned and bent over, Blaise had to quell the urge to sit on his hands to stop himself grabbing Lily and devouring her almost as badly as he did simply grabbing her and burying his face between her thighs in the first place. "Will you please take off my knickers, Sir?" she asked, and Blaise couldn't hold back his groan.

He was in exquisite torture, his cock rock hard and throbbing, trapped in his trousers, and he felt like he was going to implode if he couldn't get Lily naked soon, but taking off her tiny little knickers, seeing just how wet she'd made the wisp of silk and lace, would be torture. Her pert, perfect little arse, creamy white because he hadn't had the opportunity of late, what with their busy work schedule and various social commitments, to turn it bright red, fit perfectly in his grasp as he smoothed his palms over her. And when he parted her, seeing the line of sopping green fabric that had been riding between her pussy lips all night, she gasped out a breathy little moan of excited anticipation that had him instantly rock hard and aching.

"It will be my pleasure, pet," he grunted, and, gritting his teeth to hold back the natural urge to own her, and dominate his redheaded lover, he smoothed his palms up her buttocks gently to grasp her tiny knickers.

"Thank you, Sir," Lily gasped as he peeled them, slowly but surely down her thighs, the gusset sticking to her obvious arousal, and Blaise had to hold in a groan, picturing Lily's blush at those words.

"Such a very good girl," he purred, finally releasing her panties and letting them flutter from her knees to the floor around her shoes. "Take off the rest now, pet," he said sternly, rapidly undoing his belt and trousers.

Lily's cheeks flamed, even as she stood up, pulling away from Blaise's touch reluctantly, but she slid out of her dress without haste, butterflies rioting her her belly as adrenaline-laced excitement made her skin tingle and lust had her pulse throbbing with need. Dark eyes roved over her, that sinfully perfect mouth that featured, in some way, in almost every one of Lily's favourite fantasies curling up on one side in the promise of pleasure.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to either Blaise or Lily, a wizard in a dark robe, the hood pulled low over his face, appeared in a dark, much less bustling Diagon Alley. Of course, there was steady patronage to various pubs, and dining establishments, but the two wizards, who'd never met and likely wouldn't again, made their exchange with little incident. They parted ways moments later, both melting into the shadows, one much richer in gold, the other with two photographs that would wind up being front page news.

Forty eight hours later, Lily was grinning and bearing herself stupid through Sunday dinner, almost certain that Friday night had been the proof every gossip journalist in wizarding Britain wanted. Concrete evidence Blaise was in fact truly shagging his paid assistant/apprentice. And now she sat on tenterhooks, hoping she could avoid almost certain embarrassment and make it to the end of pudding without mention of what she knew everyone must be thinking. At least, she was until just after Lily was considering seconds on dinner while Albus talked about some droll story from work, when her brother James arrived with none other than a beaming, positively smug Emily Edwards in tow. Then all rays of hope were brutally snuffed out.

"Sorry we're late," James said, bending to kiss his mother's cheek, clapping his father on the shoulder as he took a seat across the table from Albus after helping Emily into the seat across from Lily. The redhead was certain the gesture was planned, as sure as she knew there was absolutely _no way_ she was getting out of dinner without having to tell her family the truth about what they might have read in the Saturday Evening Prophet. Or the edition of the Daily Prophet that Sunday morning, that detailed just how long and how vigorously she and Blaise were rumoured to have been fooling around.

"No problem, there's still plenty," Ginny said, beaming as her family was whole and together again. "I'm just glad you made it at all, James. You skip almost as often as your sister."

Lily blushed faintly as James grinned wickedly, piling his plate with mash. Albus frowned a tiny bit, but didn't intervene as his older brother drawled, "Maybe, but I'm usually working. Not like Lily."

Instantly, Harry Potter looked up, and Ginny frowned. Lily scowled, trying to hide her guilt behind a front of hostility. "Shows how much you know, then, Jamie," she said in a low voice, glaring and promising in her eyes she would spill every dark secret she knew of his should he out her.

"Lily's been working-" Ginny began, but then James interrupted, and Lily could only sit, stunned, at the words that tumbled from her eldest brother's lips.

"She's not always working, Mum. You need to read the paper."

"But Lily told us-" Ginny began again, even as the rest of the table went deadly still and quiet.

"I'm sure she does her little Potions crap with Zabini," James said, looking at Lily as if she were somehow tainted now. "But if you ask her where she's been sleeping, the answer won't be her flat so much as his." Emily giggled, as if trying to play along with a pretend ruse and unable to buy the setting.

"If that's _working_ , it's no wonder you love your job, girl," she said, grinning conspiratorially at Lily, as if she were the redhead's friend instead of a witch intent on ruining all of the hazel eyed woman's dreams that had almost come true. Her dream job, her dream teacher, and most of all, her dream lover, all wrapped into one convenient package of a wizard. And now it was all going to be shot to hell. Because the bloody slanderous slag Emily Edwards had penned the fucking article that had snagged the front page of the society section herself.

Lily had to bite her tongue, because she knew anything she said could be twisted into another article. "If you value not being smacked with a lawsuit for defamation of character, Edwards, you'll pipe down," Lily growled.

The reporter only smiled sweetly as Harry Potter said slowly, "Lily, what on earth is going on? This is the fourth time today I've heard some bollocks about you and bloody Zabini. Tell us it's not true, what that article says." Lily sucked in a deep breath, even as Harry glared at his son's date, and the younger redheaded witch present ducked her head, the guilt and shame that seeing her father scorn the media, in her defense and not believing they might actually once have the truth, chilling her. "Lily," Harry repeated, sitting up and adjusting his glasses, emerald eyes capped with a furrowed brow. "Tell us it's not true."

The redhead opened her mouth to deny it, to say Emily, and whoever else, was a dirty rotten liar, but she knew the truth was bound to come out eventually. And photographs didn't lie. So she simply shook her head, steeled her minute amount of courage and said, into a thick, expectant silence, "I can't, Dad."

"Lily," her mother began, brow furrowing dangerously like she might go on a rant, and Lily hastened to cut her off.

"I mean, the Prophet is known for part truths, at least," she said quickly. "That doesn't mean the article is necessarily _entirely_ true."

Lily gulped as her father scowled. "What parts _are_ true?"

"The article only states what is, quite obviously, proven in the accompanying photograph," Edwards cut in, and Lily sent her a venomous look. "The rest is merely the author's speculation. Again, as stated."

Before Lily could snap back to that, James added loftily, between bites of dinner, "And the fact is, you and Zabini have been screwing around for Merlin only knows how long, isn't it, Lily?"

The redheaded witch grit her teeth, even as tears stung, because that, coming from her big brother to boot, kind of really hurt. "The fact is, although it's literally no one else's business in the entire world, yes; Blaise and I have been seeing one another outside the context of work for some time." Lily sucked in a deep breath hoping to Merlin she could manage to keep her composure as everyone stared at her. Her parents with mingled fury and horror, James and his stupid date with mingled smug righteousness and disgust, and finally, Albus and Scorpius, who looked both uncomfortable and thoughtful. "And yeah," she added, feeling more and more like she wasn't really, and quite possibly wouldn't ever be, a real member of her own family, "we've been screwing around. So what?"

"Lily, honey, I think you-" her mother said even as Harry barked, "He's too old for you!"

"He's not too-" Lily began to retort automatically but then her mother finished her thought.

"Lily, no matter how old Zabini is, he's still not remotely the right man for you, and I think you deserve better than-"

"He's a bloody snake!" her father added. "A traitor, or as good as, and a snake, through and through, and no daughter of mine is going to-"

Lily found herself standing before she fully realized what she was doing, planting both hands on the dinner table firmly, her hazel eyes thunderous and expression furious as she glared at her father. "No daughter of yours is going to back down from what, or who, she wants," her glare darted to her mother, "and I don't give a damn what anyone else _thinks_ is best for me, so if any of you have got a problem with that, _we've_ got a problem," Lily barked.

Silence reigned for a long beat following Lily's passionate outburst, but before it got uncomfortable, Albus said, quite blithely, "So long as you don't marry him, I can handle it."

"No!" James snarled, even as he scowled at the mere idea, that some man might want to shag, and use, his sister indefinitely. Harry nodded in agreement, looking stern.

"Lily, I forbid-" he began somberly.

The redhead didn't wait to hear what her father was going to say. She merely stood up straight and walked to the door to get her coat and head out. "Lily, honey, wait, we-!" Ginny called as Lily jammed her arms into the sleeves of her coat, hot tears pricking her eyes as anger and disappointment and hurt fought for dominance in her heart and something hard and painful clogged her throat. She merely slammed the door behind herself, stomping down the snowy walk and at last losing the battle on her emotions.

Lily barely thought as she turned, just outside the property wards on her parents' home, and closed her eyes, Apparating with a loud crack and not hearing her mother cry out her name once more as she disappeared. She appeared in her own flat, a place she realized, looking around, she hadn't visited in at least a fortnight. And even as she burst into tears, she forced herself to shuffle toward the bedroom.

The sheets were rumpled, as if she and Blaise had simply gotten up and left, and it only made her cry harder as she blindly stripped from her Sunday dinner clothes. She didn't bother to strip the bed before crawling into it, burying her face in the pillow that still faintly smelled like Blaise and made her heart ache, wanting to go to him, afraid he'd be angry with her. And as Lily sobbed to herself in the growing dark, drowning in not just the hurt from her family's reaction to her admission, but the uncertainty that she'd even have Blaise once this was all over, she couldn't convince herself it would be alright and anything could possibly work out. She was positive now that Blaise would drop her like a handful of rubbish, and she was as good as unemployed, and back to being miserably single to boot. Only now she'd had a taste of what she'd always shied away from, Lily couldn't help but also mourn that primal, sexual being inside her that would surely be buried deep yet again.

Blaise stared blankly, unseeing, at the skyline outside his condominium windows, unable to banish replaying the last time he'd seen Lily since the shit had hit the fan. The letter clenched in his right fist, words he'd memorized, searching them to determine if he could believe them, had only worsened his temper. How in the name of Morgana's tits did it all go so wrong? Literally overnight, he'd gone from having the sexiest secret lover to suddenly having the whole world know the sordid truth, and the hints of lies the goddamn scum of the earth gossips had created along with it.

He turned from the window and paced back into the lounge, going straight for the drinks cart that had become a permanent fixture since he'd first moved in two years previous. Lily smiled at him in his mind's eye, looking perfect and utterly ravishable, and he wished not for the first time he didn't have to have dinner with his investors that night, of all nights. Not that he minded such events, but leaving Lily behind, when it would be unbearably more pleasurable to have her with him on a Saturday evening, was a hard pill to swallow. She'd lifted onto her toes to kiss him and he'd buried both hands in her hair as he snogged her goodbye, forcing himself to pull away when Lily moaned softly into his mouth and her supple feminine form melted into him.

"See you Monday," she said smiling up at him again, and Blaise could only nod, tearing his eyes away before he gave in and cancelled, which would undoubtedly piss the rich bastards off.

"Sunday night," he added, looking back at Lily, seeing her now with her hair spelled up neatly, clothes in perfect order, notebook tucked in her arm and robes hung over the other. He took a half step back, tempted to ruin her prim, proper exterior once more, but then shook his head. "Be at my place, Sunday night, my pet," he said firmly, already picturing just what he'd do to her. "Don't make me come and get you," he added, half hoping she might anyway.

Lily merely grinned, but murmured a demure, "Yes, Sir," that had Blaise more than considering ditching his dinner, but then Lily turned and headed for the main doors to his office. And with a sigh, he'd Flooed straight to dinner, telling himself Sunday couldn't come fast enough. Of course by dessert, his life had been turned inside out, and he had no clue where Lily was, if she was still coming over after she had dinner with her parents, or whether or not he'd even see her Monday morning.

Panic threatened to take over, that once familiar chest heaving, paranoia inducing, and guilt laced sensation he'd gotten on occasion as a teen, knowing what he should do, and what he would do, and how very separate those things were. Only now that feeling of impending doom came from fear he'd just Avada'd himself in the foot. And yet still he found himself wanting nothing more than to go away with Lily until all of this blew over, hoping she'd come to him, even if he knew it made him a fool for wanting the one thing that could very well ruin him entirely. There was no doubt in Blaise's mind that, undoubtedly, he'd have to break things off with Lily, because she was almost irreplaceable as a research and brewing assistant. But at the same time, he was so very stupidly besotted with her body in his bed, the willing participant to his darkest and most depraved fantasies, it was tempting to simply fire her publicly and pursue something more romantically.

Blaise shook his head, pouring himself a stiff drink for something to do with his hands, instantly dismissing that idea as impossible. It left far too much outside his control, not to mention he was willing to bet his benefactors would have issue with him continuing to see Lily after that caliber of scandal. Certainly the damnable Prophet would keep reporting anytime he went out with his redheaded lover. It would be far more prudent to simply inform Lily they could no longer have anything but a strictly working relationship, and then go about publicly shagging his way, yet again, through wizarding Britain's young, gorgeous witches looking for fifteen seconds of fame. Even if it made his heart ache and his stomach roil uncomfortably just picturing it, some faceless witch trying to be his Lily.

He knew it was for the best though, and so, when he heard his front door open and felt the pull of someone he'd allowed entry passing through his wards, he took a long pull from his glass of scotch and turned expectantly to tell Lily what he'd decided. Instead he came face to face with a smug Draco Malfoy. Instantly he scowled and glared. "You have some nerve coming here after the stunt you've pulled, Malfoy," the dark haired wizard growled even as the blond strode forward and helped himself to a drink.

"If you mean that highly speculative article that featured in the Prophet Saturday evening, and Sunday morning, old friend, I hate to inform you that wasn't my handiwork in the slightest." Draco sipped his whiskey and turned back to Blaise, who'd begun pacing, feeling edgy and furious that he still hadn't seen Lily and that the damn article, and those photographs, had ever been printed. "Which is an awful shame. I'd have liked to take credit for it."

Blaise snorted, tossing back half his scotch. "Who else could it be?" he demanded. "No one but you, myself, and Lily knew she was…" He trailed off, looking away as Draco smirked.

"As far as you know," the blond said dismissively. Blaise's gaze shot back, dark eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Excuse me?" he said in a deadly soft voice.

"Only myself, you, and your very lovely little assistant knew you'd been fucking the minx's brains out for the last several months," Draco clarified, still smirking and looking smugly arrogant. " _As far as you know_." Blaise could only stare mutely in shock as Draco's words finally clicked in his mind.

"She wouldn't-" he said stiffly, trying not to believe what had to be the truth.

Draco's laugh interrupted him and the blond, smirking, toasted him. "Zabini, if you truly believe your little piece of ass hasn't told her best friend, or some dreadful Weasley relation of hers, all about how you've been fucking her silly for Godric only _knows_ how long, you're a bigger fool than I've always thought you, truly."

Blaise glared, wondering why on Earth Draco had come, if he wasn't there to gloat over how he'd ruined the best thing that had ever happened to the dark haired wizard despite his earlier owl claiming innocence, and why he was now insulting him. Surely, at some point, he told himself, he'd have figured out that Lily had leaked their secret. And there was simply _no way_ Lily would have not told him afterward out of sheer guilt.

And even though he couldn't quite accept, nor deny, Lily's apparent duplicity in the inherent understanding that what they'd been doing was not only not allowed, but severely frowned upon, and not to be talked about, Blaise still wanted her. Even now the entire world knew, had seen that thrice damned bloody picture, and Blaise was positive it would harm him in the long run, and yet he _still_ fucking wanted her. It was like a virus assaulting him, making him delirious and unstable, only his fever was simply his lust for her perfect, luscious body.

"So what then? Is that it?" he finally grit out after finishing his scotch in a way that would have made any pureblood elder outraged with the insult to good liquor, glaring at his longtime friend and almost rival. Draco swirled the contents of his glass and looked at Blaise thoughtfully.

"No," Draco said at last, and Blaise slammed his empty glass down onto the drinks table, the bottles clinking and rattling with the force of impact.

"So why the fuck are you still here, Malfoy?" Blaise demanded, furious now, trying hard to contain his temper and the urge to go to Lily's flat and look for her, or await her return.

Draco, to his surprise, didn't smirk, but lifted his glass in toast again. "Because drinking alone is rather pathetic, Zabini, and we both know if I leave now, that's what you'll end up doing."

Blaise glared for a beat, then shook his head. "You're wrong," he said decisively, even though his initial urge was to simple pour a drink and drown his sorrows. "Now get out," he said, smirking a tiny bit at Draco's look of shock. Perhaps it had been his extended exposure to Lily, who was so overflowing with passion not only in the bedroom, but for her work, and experimental potioneering, and her unfailing tenacity when approaching tasks, that some of it had rubbed off on him. Blaise wanted to think so, because there was no other reason for the strong urge he had to seek Lily out, to find out once and for all what the bleeding fuck they were doing, and whether or not she'd be willing to let him have one last taste of her, just enough to last a lifetime, before they went back to strictly business.

XXX


	10. Chapter 10

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

XXX

Lily felt something prickle her consciousness, rousing her from the deepest dregs of sleep, abruptly ending a dream that had left her, waking groggily in the dark, wondering where she was and like she'd just run a marathon. There was the faint sheen of sweat along her hairline and down her neck, making her clammy now as she sat up, and the redhead shivered, wondering what the hell could've possibly roused her from her exhaustion by crying induced slumber.

And then she froze, hearing the last thing she'd ever thought she'd hear. The sound of Blaise's voice outside her apartment door, words garbled over rapid knocking. For a long moment Lily sat there, stunned, heart racing, hope making her dizzy that maybe, just maybe, everything would be the same, that she could still have Blaise and play pretend they were dating, giving into the primal urges he stirred in her, and also work side by side him every day. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too, and although Lily was certain it made her unbearably selfish and greedy and dozens more horrible things, she couldn't resist the lure of Blaise. That much she'd at least learned.

With her heart thudding excitedly, buoyed up on hope, she grabbed her wand from the nightstand and jolted from bed, then hurried to her door and swiftly unlocked it. Indeed, on the other side of the portal, Blaise had come, and for one moment, Lily's heart swelled with joy. He hadn't forgotten his promise. He'd come to find her after it all. And then she registered his expression, and her heart sank, like a rock had been tied round it and tossed into the ocean, fast and deep.

"Lily," the dark haired, dark eyed wizard said, gaze narrowed and breath reeking of expensive liquor. "I think we need to have a little talk, sweetheart," he said, and Lily's throat closed as disappointment flooded her.

Blaise wasn't there to make good on his promise, he was there to demand answers, no doubt stirred up from that Godric fucking forsaken article. She was almost certain her heart was broken irreparably, because now it would come. The oh so loathsome goodbye that she couldn't accept and didn't want to hear. "I don't-" she whispered, but then Blaise was walking past her, into her flat, and she couldn't bring herself to tell him to get out. She closed the door gently, hesitating before turning around.

Blaise paced up and down before her fireplace, looking equally hurt and livid to Lily, and she knew she had to tread with caution, lest he unleash his fearsome temper on her. She'd had that happen once, and she certainly wasn't looking forward to having it again. Not when she was positive she knew what was coming.

"How many people knew about us?" Blaise suddenly demanded, pausing in his pacing, glaring almost menacingly at her. Lily gulped, and opened her mouth to answer truthfully, then paused to think and double check. "How many people knew we were fucking and that you were way more than my bloody assistant?" he snarled when the redhead hesitated.

Lily licked her lips. "Five," she whispered, and then bit her lower lip. She had the distinct feeling James had, despite her not saying a word to suggest it was true, come to the conclusion she was fucking and had fallen for Blaise Zabini also, but she pointedly didn't want to think about that, certain he'd confirmed it to that little bitch Edwards who'd made sure she got evidence to support it.

Blaise's dark brows rose on his swarthy face. "Five," he repeated, looking speculative. Lily gulped, knowing she should've told Blaise ages ago, before they'd shared their deepest and darkest secrets with one another, and certainly before their current conversation. "That's almost funny, because I can only think of three people who know, personally," the dark skinned pureblood said too calmly, voice ice cold. The redheaded witch flushed and looked down as Blaise glared at her. " _Five_ ," he said again, and the redhead cringed.

"Yes," she whispered into the heavy, tense silence. "My…" Lily gulped again, trying to compose herself as she longed to dissolve into tears, feeling an inch tall. "My brother Albus figured it out a while ago, and obviously told his boyfriend Scorpius, so-"

"Scorpius Malfoy?" Blaise pushed, looking impossibly more furious.

Lily licked her lips. "They sort of already figured it out," she whispered, and Blaise scoffed loudly, turning away, pacing restlessly before her fireplace again.

"Of course, because I don't doubt Draco mentioned you being in my condo when he Flooed," the dark wizard growled sarcastically.

When Lily didn't say anything, he paused in his pacing to look at her, staring hard, trying to discern why she looked sheepish and uncomfortable, this witch that he wanted more than anything. "Well, you see, the thing is… Er, well," Lily hedged, and Blaise felt his patience evaporate. He took a menacing step toward her, and Lily squeaked, "They knew before that." For a long moment, Blaise could only stare. "I wanted to tell you," Lily said, her lower lip quivering even as she clenched her jaw valiantly. "I tried a bunch of times, I swear," she said, looking almost frantic now. "But it just…" Blaise felt something in his chest tug uncomfortably, making some other part of him ache, deep within, as Lily's tears finally spilled down her cheeks. "But it just never seemed like a good time," Lily finally croaked, then closed her eyes, shoulders wracking as if she'd done something far worse than keep a secret from him. The dark haired wizard tried to swallow past the ache in his chest, but still it remained, and he moved toward the redheaded witch, trying with failing results to resist pulling her into his embrace, hating to see her cry.

"I'm putting money on the leak being Malfoy," Blaise growled, even as he, greedily, pulled Lily flush to his front. She sighed and melted into him, perfectly soft and all woman against him, her breath against his neck calming some of the roiling anxiety that had been plaguing Blaise all day. "Junior," he added when Lily nodded.

The redhead pulled back, away from his neck. "No," she said, with firm conviction, as if she could provide an airtight alibi for the Malfoy heir that evening.

Blaise's brows lifted. "Who else could it be?" he demanded. "Unless you think your brother-?"

"Albus wouldn't do that to me," she said, glaring at her boss turned lover now. "And," she added when Blaise gave her an expectant look, as if wondering who else it could be, "he wouldn't let Scorpius do that either."

Blaise barely refrained from rolling his eyes at her naive trust in not only her family upholding her honor, but even a wizard who wasn't even married into it. Especially when she herself claimed that she'd never truly felt she was fully part of the Potter family dynamic. "Well I can personally assure you Draco Malfoy is not responsible either," he said when Lily pulled further from his embrace to cross her arms, her face mirroring his from a moment ago. Blaise simply shrugged. "If Draco were responsible, I can assure you, it would not only benefit him in some way, but he'd be far less inclined to visit me directly thereafter," Blaise said easily, then smirked a tiny bit. "Not to mention, whenever he did show his pointy ferret face, he'd undoubtedly be a helluva lot smugger about it."

Lily frowned. "But you can't _really_ be sure-" she began, but Blaise cut her off, kissing her hungrily, not even wanting to think about the whole damn reason he'd shown up at her place, save his promise to find her and take her to bed from Saturday afternoon.

"I can, and am, Lily," he said after breaking away. "So the question is, either someone else riddled it out somehow, or we were followed from the Society gala, and who would _that_ be?"

"I don't think we were followed," Lily said, unable to hold Blaise's gaze, knowing she should tell him what she thought was the truth, about her _other_ brother, the one who apparently would, and had, done something so traitorous against her heart.

"Who else knows?" Blaise demanded in the tone normally reserved for much more intimate questions, and Lily had to bite her lower lip to hold in a whimper, because the dark haired wizard was still holding her close, mouth teasing up the side of her neck, and she, selfishly, wanted to hold onto that feeling forever. "I can tell you have a theory. Go on, then."

"I," Lily began, voice rocky with mingled shame and arousal, hating how badly she still wanted Blaise, naked and over her, owning her flesh and pushing her body to nirvana. "I think, or, well, I'm pretty sure at least, that, well…" She forced herself to say the words, even as she clenched her eyes shut. "My other brother probably figured it out, too, and he just so happens to be...well, maybe not _dating_ , but seeing the, um…" Again Lily had to pause, bracing herself for the worst possible reaction from Blaise. "My brother's sort of seeing the witch who wrote the whole article that ran in the Prophet."

For a long beat after Lily choked out the words she knew would seal her fate with Blaise, there was nothing. No changes in the way Blaise held her still, or his breathing, or anything to indicate his displeasure. Only silence. She opened her eyes, staring straight down at her lover's shoes, then risked a glance up at Blaise's dark, entrancing eyes.

It was then that Blaise himself, seemingly braced for the worst, finally reacted, and the redheaded witch swallowed thickly when he dropped his arms from her, stepping back, leaving her feeling bereft. "And when were you planning to tell me?" Blaise demanded, and Lily couldn't keep looking at him, the hurt flashing in his eyes, the betrayal all over his face, and worst of all, the tiny sneer as if he was now repulsed by her. She heard him take two steps closer, both hands wrapping gently around her upper arms. "Look at me."

She peeked up, trying to resist the urge to dissolve into tears, forcing herself through sheer stubborn will not to cry again. "I… Fuck, I'm sorry, Blaise, I didn't think anything would ever come of it, and I didn't-"

"Did you plan this?" he demanded, face hard now, eyes as cold and uninviting as she'd ever seen them, making her heart clench painfully. There was a sharp stabbing, inside her chest, that she was almost certain felt like her heart cracking, and the redhead gasped at the pain, even as Blaise looked at her with revulsion. "Was it your intention, all along, to be able to sell your soul to the media for the chance at being Britain's Most Eligible Potioneer's fuck of the month?"

Lily could only stare in horror as Blaise's face grew almost inhuman, demented with rage.

She cringed again, this time in real fear, as Blaise's full upper lip curled up again in a haughty, entirely pureblooded way as he glared at her with outright loathing, and she almost braced to be spat upon. "Or did the thought occur afterward, pet, to sell your story as a passably fuckable witch and acceptable assistant in the lab, just for fifteen minutes of fame?"

Before Lily could stop herself, as that last comment hit home, right into the secret fear she'd always held, that Blaise didn't actually accept her as a real potioneer, or challenger to his position as the very best in their field someday, and had only ever seen her as a convenient lay, the redhead's temper ran away from her. "You sonofabitch," she snarled, and before fear could override her and common sense could halt her actions, Lily slapped the handsome, dark haired and dark eyed wizard hard across the cheek with her entire palm.

In the next breath, Lily bit her tongue on an apology an braced for the worst. She wasn't even sure, anymore, what that might be. She _didn't_ expect the hot burn of Blaise's very dark, certainly black gaze pinning her as the wizard sucked in a long, slow breath. "Lily," he said darkly, and the redhead almost quivered. Instead, she tried to force herself to be brave, even when she knew it was foolish.

"What?" she growled.

Dark eyes narrowed, and even on Blaise's dark skin, the mark was already beginning to show from her slapping him, and Lily's stomach clenched uncomfortably. "I'll let you have that one," her lover said darkly, and the redhead gulped silently. "But I can promise you if you ever strike me again, you'll get it back tenfold," he promised in the very rough, almost bedroom voice she'd committed to memory. "And I can promise you won't enjoy it, pet," he added in a deadly whisper, and Lily nodded, mostly out of habit, because she was trying to stop her damnable heart from loving the fucking wizard anyway. "But as of right now, the only thing you are to me is my assistant and occasional lab partner," the pureblood continued briskly, "and, as such, I wish to remind you, yet again, we are _nothing_."

Lily felt her mouth part, heart broken beyond repair she was certain, if the sharp jolt of pain and unease was an indicator, and she actually blanched. "What…? What does that…?" she mumbled, confused and trying to wrap her mind around a totally foreign, after all these months, concept of _not_ being with Blaise outside work.

"It means that whatever you and I agreed to partake in has now ended, and there will no longer be anything but business between us." The redhead felt the tears sting when Blaise looked at her, face clear of emotion and voice bland and impartial as he said, yet again, "And outside business, we're, you and I together, _nothing_ , Lily."

For a long beat the redhead could only gape and stare back at the wizard she'd all but admitted aloud to witnesses she loved such a short time ago, almost as if she was first seeing him. It had, apparently, all just been a convenience for him the entire time they'd been together, considering he seemed to feel absolutely no emotion on the matter, and Lily tried to hold herself together even as she felt the hot tears start to skid down her cheeks.

"If we're nothing," Lily spat, the smudged tear tracks and mascara around her eyes making Blaise's gut clench uncomfortably, "then fuck you, Blaise. I fucking quit. And you can go fuck yourself," she hissed, turning away before the fresh tears could form. "Now get the fuck out."

Blaise stood there for a beat and Lily turned around, wand drawn, looking furious and hurt and oddly beautiful to the dark haired pureblood nonetheless, and he took a step back when she pointed her weapon at him. "I don't want you to quit," he said in a last ditch effort to hold his life together as best he could, and in the only way he knew was plausible. The only thing he could consider remotely possible for them.

Lily's upper lip curled away from her teeth savagely. "I don't care what you want anymore, Zabini."

The dark wizard began to feel the first pangs of irritation, knowing Lily was obviously hurt, judging by the response he'd gotten when he'd announced his decision to her anyway. But now, with that slap of blatant disrespect by calling him solely by his surname, as if she were his equal or some kind of friend, not his paid assistant or his submissive lover, he felt the urge to retaliate. His dark eyes narrowed calculatingly, and then he smiled cruelly. "I told you from the outset, Lily, that this changes absolutely _nothing_ between us," he sneered, hating himself even as her furious facade crumbled for a beat and he saw the heartbroken, unsure witch beneath.

"You're right," Lily said after a beat, forcing her features to bely her true emotions. "And I still have the right to quit whenever the hell I want. Consider that effective immediately, Zabini," she tossed out, and folded her arms, face flawlessly back to that falsely furious, impassive expression. "Now kindly get out of my flat."

Blaise went to the door, tongue burning to dress her down for talking to him without even the pretence of propriety, or even with that hint of intimate familiarity the syllables of his name came out of her luscious pink lips bearing when she was coming around him. Instead, when he turned to look back at Lily one last selfish, foolish time, he found himself saying, in a rough, too-emotional, and thoroughly unsteady voice, "Seems you've become that diamond after all, Lily." Shining and beautiful, but also hard and cold now.

He stepped through the portal, closing the door gently behind himself, and even as Lily's heart shattered at the sound of someone Disapparating right behind her door, knowing she'd never see Blaise again, she whispered, "Brilliant," before breaking down entirely.

By the time Blaise made it back to his condo, he was vacillating between abject guilt that weighed upon him heavily, seeing Lily's face crumpling when he'd left her, hearing the cruel, harsh words he'd flunc at her spilling from his lips again, and outright fury. She'd lied by omission to him. Withheld the truth that, despite her best efforts, had outed their secret, and then had the damn gall to _cry_ over it!? Infuriating.

A sharp knocking at his front door, which only served to irritate and depress him further, had Blaise shuffling to answer it, intent on telling whichever of his neighbours or whoever had dared to call upon him, at such a late hour no less, precisely how to fuck off. When his gaze landed on a messy black head of hair and a pair of disarmingly green eyes behind wire rimmed spectacles, then shot up automatically to the thin, faded scar on the forehead above said eyes, Blaise's fury died and his guilt shrivelled.

"Harry Potter," he said, forcing himself to smile at the Chosen One. "It's awfully late for a social call," he said, even as he made no effort to invite the other wizard inside, checking his wand in his pocket as he caught sight of Potter clenching his.

"Then I'll skip right to the point, Zabini," Potter said through gritted teeth. Blaise braced himself for the inevitable shouting about how he'd compromised Lily Potter, and vengeance would be the Defeater of Voldemort's for his little girl's honor. He even braced for some sort of Muggle style attack that featured fists and which he wouldn't hesitate to defend himself against using magic, of course, like any respectable wizard. "I don't know what you did to my daughter," Harry said softly, making Blaise flinch at the lack of aggression or apparent volume-increasing anger he'd expected from Potter. "And I don't _want_ to know," he added firmly, making Blaise's mouth, ever so slightly, just in the corner, twitch up with amusement for a traitorous beat, because he'd done _everything_ with this man's daughter. "But if you ever hurt her…" he finished darkly, trailing off ominously, and Blaise felt his guilt come roaring back to life. Once again, the mental image of Lily's face crumpling, the tears sliding effortlessly down her cheeks, the utterly _destroyed_ expression she'd worn when he'd last left her, and the pain he was keeping firmly locked up in his own chest, battered him, making his posture stiffen against it, and his mouth harden.

"Seeing as L- Miss Potter is no longer in my employ, Potter, I can assure you," he said blandly, "I will no longer have any opportunity to, as you put it, 'hurt her'." He put every tool for emotional suppression that he'd learned, not only from his mother, but his other pureblooded friends in his life, and not a single trace of his inner turmoil managed to permeate his tone or his expression.

Potter looked shocked for a beat, even as Blaise bit his tongue against the foolish urge to add that he, too, would be free from being hurt by Lily, whose only crime against him had been her irresistibility. Even though he suspected he'd do it all over again regardless. "Wha-?"

"And I can certainly assure you, Potter," Blaise continued, his face still a mask of bland boredom, not hinting at how he winced and cringed as the words he wanted to spit at this wizard turned to ash in his mouth, and a lie slipped out in its stead. "Lily has also quite made it clear enough on her own that she wishes no further contact whatsoever from me, which I have obviously agreed to. And despite whatever you may think, Potter, I am a wizard of my word."

For a long beat those too green, too searching eyes bored into Blaise's blank mask, threatening to crack it, but the Potter nodded once and looked away. "She's better than you," he said, a final parting shot, and Blaise smirked a little, knowing it was true.

"Of course she is, Potter. She just doesn't believe it yet, but she will."

Harry Potter didn't reply, and turned away, and Blaise closed his door, warding it once again as per habit, and then leaned back against the sturdy wood, letting out a long sigh, feeling his defenses fall in his solitude. Lily had left him, for good undoubtedly if the girl had any brains whatsoever, and Blaise, despite knowing it would happen someday, and telling himself all along he wasn't going to get attached, knew the hollow ache in his chest and the urge to do something utterly self deprecating like actually weep, was because he'd gone and fallen for his redheaded lover and assistant and partner anyway. Even knowing the risks, she'd wormed her way into his very private, somewhat damaged feelings, gotten herself inside his heart, and now she'd ripped herself, and several other vital bits he was sure, free of him. And it fucking _hurt_.

But Blaise knew, even as he schooled his expression and forced the silly urge to weep aside brusquely, he hadn't the time nor the emotional support for melancholy and sadness, and told himself he would suffice as he had before Lily Potter had ever entered his life, and wouldn't permit himself to do something so stupid as miss her. He had a reputation, after all. And, Blaise decided, an idea that seemed impossible to shake after striking him, he would make good on that by visiting a witch he knew would deliver precisely what he needed. Even if Veronica would only ever be the imposter of his true desires, he didn't think indulging, perhaps just this once after it all, would do any harm.

A week later, after having spent a disgusting amount of gold and far too many hours chasing the past he wanted so badly to recapture, Blaise knew he couldn't keep torturing himself with a Lily who would never be the real deal. And while he suspected Veronica was beginning to pity him, she didn't comment, for which he was grateful, and he told himself as he Flooed out of her little flat it would be the last time. A month after that he was still telling himself it was the last time he'd indulge himself in the fantasy he'd once lived in when he Flooed out of Veronica's flat, but this time, there was a rather bored looking Draco Malfoy waiting for him when he arrived home, drunk and exhausted after a long night of fucking the witch he longed pitifully for and pined after with every bitten back confession of how much he bloody fucking needed her.

"What do you want?" he asked, tossing his robes aside.

Malfoy, who'd helped himself to Blaise's liquor in his absence, merely sipped his scotch and pointed to the Evening Prophet that he'd apparently brought along with his late night visit, and Blaise glared at the picture on the front beneath the headline that made his stomach clench and his chest ache. _LILY POTTER: THE NEWEST POTIONS DARLING OR GOLD-DIGGING DOXY? The redheaded beauty, who made headlines last month for a rumoured less-working more-relationship with world famous and notorious playboy Blaise Zabini, was recently photographed in Hogsmeade's newest hotspot Hogwash, with up and coming potioneer Gavin Gartner. The two, who both report they are simply friendly, shared a drink late Friday evening at Hogwash and, though they left separately, sources who wish to remain anonymous can attest plans were definitely made to meet up again. Only time will tell if Lily Potter is simply cozying up to the best in her preferred field of work, or if she's more interested in playing the field for a wizard whose success she can share._

Instantly Blaise's blood ran cold, and he felt something colder than anger burning up his esophagus. It took a beat to realize, as he stared at the picture of Lily smiling and talking, looking utterly respectable and no more than friendly, with Gartner, the icy burn within was, in fact, betrayal. She'd played him, he realized; and _so_ easily it had been done, he reckoned. He permitted that she probably hadn't meant to, because he doubted she was _that_ calculatingly cold, but still, the evidence lay before him. He'd been tempted well and truly and, like a fool, he'd given in to Lily's lure, to his own detriment, and even as he'd been trying to hold onto something that had long since ended, she had moved on. Moved on from him, and what he'd thought meant something between them. After all of it, the good, the bad, and the parts he couldn't think about without a certain level of shame that was presently too much to bear, Lily had simply, without a seeming care if the picture held any semblance of truth, _moved on_.

And even if she'd done it out of self preservation, Blaise couldn't help but think Lily's blatant and very public statement she was well and truly done with him was the nail in the coffin of his very tumultuous and oftentimes downright unhealthy obsession lately with Veronica. And with it, the sick delight Blaise had for the unique skill she had to portray the witch Blaise couldn't seem to get over. And even though he certainly lamented the loss of what had been, although sometimes a conscience trying part of his life, a decidedly agreeable arrangement on the whole, Blaise knew he could at last put the idea of having Lily to rest. She'd moved on, as it had been made perfectly clear, and Blaise would do the same.

"Scotch?" Draco drawled after a long beat of silence and Blaise snorted.

"Of course, Draco," he said. "It's a celebratory kind of night, isn't it?" he asked, unable to help a tiny bit of his inner bitterness seeping into the words. "You get to say you told me so, after all."

Draco merely shook his head. "I may have told you so, but you've finally gotten burned, Zabini," he said easily. "So I reckon that's enough reminder that you fucked up." He sipped his drink then smirked. "For now at least," he qualified, and dark eyes rolled.

Blaise nodded, appreciating not just the sentiment, as harsh as it seemed, but also the matter of fact tone Malfoy used, making him certain this was less pity and more a polite show of support in Blaise's own ability to not be pathetic any longer. Which he could do, most definitely. Even if the memory of Lily Potter haunted him into eternity, he could most definitely stop being such a pathetic excuse for a wizard, pining over a witch who no longer, obviously, felt a thing for him.

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	11. Chapter 11

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Just as a head's up, this will probably wrap up next chapter, which might actually wind up being two chapters depending, followed by an epilogue. So basically, we're looking at like two, maybe three more updates before this is finished y'all! :) Thanks!

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Blaise felt the hairs on his arms rising and glanced around the restaurant, trying to decipher why his body sensed something familiar while something also unexpected tickled his consciousness. And then he looked to the table just ahead and to the right of him where two people, a witch and wizard, sat having lunch. The dark haired wizard's stomach churned and roiled with pent up emotion he didn't allow to filter onto his face. Because there, smiling and looking gorgeous and utterly entranced by her date, was Lily Potter, the witch he'd been dreaming of every night for the last six months.

She was wearing the perfume that had haunted him whenever any other witch had dared wear it in his presence, and the little burgundy dress he'd once, while they were in Arizona he was certain, flipped up and torn in his haste, after bending her over his work table, to eat out her juicy pussy and succulent arse. It instantly made him hard, the surfacing of not just the memory of Lily, but the real life version sitting no more than ten feet away, her tinkling laugh carrying over easily. Blaise wanted to drag her home and fuck her any way she pleased and with whatever her perverted little mind could fathom until she screamed his name and came all over him at least twice, just by looking at her.

He could picture, vividly, just the way her perfect breasts would bounce and sway as he fucked her from below, those pierced nipples, plump and engorged almost indefinitely hard, begging for his mouth and hands to tease. And of course, Lily herself, panting and moaning and screaming, literally _begging_ , for release. Blaise had to bite back a grunt, looking away from the witch he'd fancied himself in love with like a naive fool, and forced his eyes to focus on the menu. She was so fucking entrancing it felt as if he could sense her without even seeing her, just like the instant he'd sat down at his table for dinner. Blaise cursed himself a fool and glared with teeth-gritted determination at only the menu, trying to resist temptation that sat closer, literally, than ever since he'd last had her.

Just as he'd decided what to eat he heard that tinkling laugh again, and his resolve broke. He glanced up, seeing Lily's sparkling smile, the languid way she lifted her wine glass, and, most of all, the way her moist pink tongue darted out to wipe her lips after she drank. His cock twitched out an excited dance in his trousers, half hardening at only that mere peek of the red haired vixen's tongue, and Blaise forced his dark gaze away, lest she see him staring at her, undoubtedly looking like he was mooning after her like a lovesick puppy. Something he most certainly was _not_.

Instead, he glanced back up at the back of her apparent date's head, trying to determine if he might know the wizard, frowning to himself as he inadvertently, or so he told himself, started trying to eavesdrop on their conversation when he couldn't place his faceless rival.

Lily, who was drinking her wine for something to do with seriously nervous hands, forced herself to smile, even when all she wanted was to curl up in the loo and cry her eyes out. She'd been aware, almost immediately, that directly facing her, only ten or so feet away, Blaise _fucking_ Zabini had sat down to dine. She'd tried to fake nonchalance, but knowing that he was sitting so close, and yet also so damn far away, and she would never touch him again, was too hard and bitter a pill to swallow while on a grudging not-quite date with a wizard she liked, in a purely platonic sense, who obviously felt way more for her.

The redhead had managed to fend off Gavin Gartner's affections lately after telling him she'd recently had a break up, and Gavin, being a truly nice guy and total dolt, as far as Lily was concerned, when it came to women, hadn't associated it at all with her recent leave from working alongside Blaise. But she could see, every now and then, that awkward glimpse of longing, the puppy love face that lasted a second before he'd catch her noticing. And although she certainly made it clear she wasn't looking for romance, she admitted, it was nice to be out with someone who liked to talk about her field of work, even should he be caught staring at times.

Her memory, like a flash, snapped back to the last night she'd stayed in Rome with Blaise, the night he'd taken her to dinner, and how utterly easy and distinctly _not_ awkward the entire evening had felt. How completely that night differed from the one she was currently having. Because even if she'd found a friend with similar interests, that was a far cry from the electric spark of chemistry she'd felt with Blaise even in the beginning. And even as the clinical side of her brain wondered if the lack of chemistry with Gavin was because she couldn't get over just how well she and Blaise had gotten on, both inside the bedroom and laboratory, the emotional portion couldn't bear trying to fit another wizard into the Blaise-shaped hole in her life. Least of all one she wasn't even remotely attracted to, whether it was because he was still stuck on Blaise or not.

"So you had mentioned last week," Gavin said, and Lily politely didn't mention how he schooled his face after that flash of longing had almost appeared, "you were trying a new method of brewing. How is it working out?"

Lily held in a sigh, hazel eyes darting, for the tiniest second, away from Gavin's face to Blaise, as he regarded his menu with a thoughtful frown, and then down. "It's not," she replied, trying not to sound disappointed, even if she was. Lily had, indeed, been putting in quite probably too many hours in her home lab, which while not being nearly so well appointed or spacious as Blaise's set up, was still functional for the redhead, stuck on the one idea Blaise had mentioned a lifetime ago. The thought of crafting his infamous Amatoriis the way he'd originally intended, to have two separate halves of the same potion that not only worked properly, but would really only do so between the two halves of the potion. It was a circuitous process, and Lily had started trying to co-brew, having two cauldrons sharing one space, but that hadn't worked with any of the variations she'd tried.

She supposed she should probably give up the idea, because it wasn't really even hers, and undoubtedly Blaise, who'd spent much longer on the problem, would crack it before she ever could. He was decidedly a genius, in any case, and she was merely occasionally brilliant. But all her time and research with the pureblood had left Lily with too much knowledge about lust potions in general, not to mention a _much_ broader idea of how to make them effective. And there was something inside her that knew if she gave up on Blaise's idea, she'd have completely severed whatever bond she'd shared all those months ago with Blaise, which the redheaded witch was loath to do. Just knowing she was working on Blaise's little brain child kept her feeling connected to the wizard who'd made it painfully clear he wanted nothing but her brain, and her heart and body were of little use to him now that the world knew he'd had them. Of course, Lily, in her fit of pique, hadn't wanted her one-time lover to have _any_ part of her if he wasn't willing to accept all of them publicly, but in the almost six months it had been since that horrible night, she'd come to regret that decision. Even if her brain knew it had been the most logical solution, to have cut the wizard from her life entirely, she still partly wished she had kept on working with him, if only for the better lab he boasted and the chance to pick his brain.

"Setbacks are hard, but you'll get there eventually, Lily," Gavin said sympathetically, and Lily forced a smile, even as she heard Blaise in her mind saying, in response to her petulant statement before, ' _Then try something else. Be as innovative with your methods as your ideas. Brilliance rarely comes on the first try, Lily_.'

"Yeah, I'm sure it will click for me soon," she said blandly, looking down at her empty place setting, praying the damn appetizers would come out. "In the meantime, what have you been working on?" she asked politely, looking back up with another completely fake smile.

Gavin launched into his latest project, that was to further refine his potion to make it more effective, and Lily let out a breath of relief when the food began to arrive. She only had to nod and smile, or make the occasional remark, and Gavin could happily talk all evening. Which left Lily the ability to sneak surreptitious looks over his shoulder at Blaise Zabini, who'd ordered what was probably a delicious wine, unlike her own, which was a red she didn't much care for if she was being brutally honest. And look the redheaded witch did. She couldn't help but notice he remained alone throughout his meal, and while there was no hint in his casually elegant posture to indicate discomfort, Lily was almost certain Blaise's dark eyes, which barely wavered from his plate, would be filled with some kind of emotion. And even though she ached to go to him, to throw herself at his mercy even, she held back, because she knew it was for the best. Not to mention if he hadn't yet noticed her, she mused as their desserts at last arrived, obviously he had no desire to look at or speak to her. Which only confirmed her belief a cool, detached ignoring of the one wizard she longed for with unbearable agony in the middle of the night was the only way she could truly get over Blaise.

But even as her head and heart came to a timid agreement, her body, in such close proximity, was tensed and on edge for any signal from her former employer. By the time the check arrived, Lily was aching from being on red alert most of the evening, and excused herself to use the loo as they stood up, hoping to get a handle on the raging lust and boiling, all consuming arousal that zinged through her just _thinking_ about Blaise. Once in the bathroom she checked to ensure she was alone, then braced both hands on either side of the sink and took a couple deep breaths, looking up at her reflection in the mirror grimly.

Suddenly, the door to the restroom opened and Lily, who'd straightened automatically, felt almost faint for a beat when none other than the wizard she'd been secretly looking at all through her almost-date stared at her through her reflection. Her breath sucked in on a gasp of its own accord and the redhead spun around abruptly, staring properly at Blaise, who locked and Silenced the room with a flick and twist of his wand. "Blaise," she whispered, taking a step back and hitting the sink when the dark haired, dark eyed pureblood moved toward her.

"I felt you looking at me all night," he said roughly. Lily gulped, because she couldn't refute that statement, and when he moved closer she couldn't help that her body betrayed her. With his dark eyes burning with molten desire, undressing her where she stood, trapped and breathless, and that perfect half smirk that she'd once associated with pleasure on his full, supple lips, Lily was unbearably wet with embarrassing ease.

"Blaise," she said again, this time his name coming out in a husky, rough croak with the tiniest edge of pleading, and Lily watched him close his eyes for a beat, taking a deep breath in through flared nostrils.

"Fuck, you're so damn perfect without even trying," the pureblood muttered under his breath, but in the echoing acoustics of the silent loo Lily easily heard the words. His dark eyes snapped back up to hers. "I…" Lily waited, barely breathing, for what he was going to say, but Blaise merely stared at her, looking torn.

And indeed, internally, Blaise was torn. He wanted her with his entire being, every single fibre, every particle of magic and flesh and bone that held him together into a man and wizard wanted to close the distance between them and kiss her without pause while he fucked her right there up against the sink, swallowing all her moans. But as much as he wanted, he knew there would be hell to pay when she left again. He'd crave her more than he already did, longing for the next hit of her like a regular Knockturn junkie, and without her… He feared he might truly go mad, if he wasn't there already. Just knowing there was some other wizard, no doubt waiting for her outside still, taking her home and perhaps more, made made Blaise's magically pure blood boil with rage and jealousy. Just the thought of having her had made him hard. ...Just one kiss. It couldn't hurt, surely. Because he missed her and longed for her to be in his arms again with an aching hunger, just to even hold her, and _feel_ her, safe and happy and l-

Blaise blinked as his mental train of thought derailed. There was simply no way he could lo- No. _No_. He looked at her, seeing her mingled anxiety and arousal, and when Lily blushed, his control snapped. He moved forward until he stood before her, watching the redhead bite her lush lower lip, hazel eyes darting down as she ducked her head and put her hands behind her back like a child resisting the lure of a forbidden treat. Blaise wanted none of that. He wanted the passion he'd tasted on her lips and every other inch of her flesh what seemed a lifetime ago, even if it was in actuality only half a year or so. Wanted her to taste how much he was just fucking in love with her. And even as he thought it, he knew he was damned either way.

"I want to fuck you up against this sink," he said at last, unable to resist temptation laid out before him, and settled his hands gently around her waist. Lily blushed again, but shook her head.

"I can't, I have to- I'm on- It's just that I really don't- _Fuck_." She looked up. "Blaise, I don't think we should-"

"What do you want?" Blaise asked, and she took a deep breath, hating that he could affect her with that deep bedroom voice that had haunted her dreams. "Do you _want_ to get fucked on the sink, or do you not?"

Lily clung to a false sense anger. "Of course I _want_ ," she finally hissed, but when Blaise grinned and leaned down to kiss her, hands roving up her ribcage, Lily pushed him back firmly. "But that doesn't mean it's a good idea, or that we _can_." Blaise watched her set her shoulders and jaw. "And I have a dinner date waiting," she added, watching Blaise's lip curl with derision. "So in that case," Lily said, telling herself she could be brave, even if she wasn't sure it was the best idea, "Good evening, Blaise."

The pureblood, looking equally shocked and hurt, watched Lily walk away from him again, the easy way she dismantled his spellwork to open the door before she opened the bathroom door and stepped out without looking back. His shoulders slumped for a beat before he squared them again and stalked out after her, refusing to let his face betray a single inkling of how badly that rejection stung. Blaise had certainly been assured that no good could come of him following Lily into the loo after half rushing out in her wake. But, like the fool he was, Blaise had fallen victim to Lily's lure yet again and fallen once more on his face. Quite spectacularly at that, no less. And she'd walked away.

It hurt almost as bad as it had the first time.

Lily's eyes welled with tears that burned hot behind her eyelids, barely being held in check, throat raw with suppressed emotion and the electric pull of desire that still prickled and thrummed across her flesh just from having Blaise, in all his physical perfection and with that animal magnetism practically pouring from his aura, in such close proximity. When she spotted Gavin only sheer force of will held back her waterworks. "I'm so sorry," she said quickly, even as she breezed past her date, who looked shocked and trailed after her, face a mask of confusion and concern. "I have to go. I can't-" She broke off, gulping, cheeks flaring red guiltily as she spotted Blaise coming toward her. "I have to go. I'm sorry, Gavin," she repeated in a broken whisper, turning abruptly away from the wizard's outstretched hand, barely hearing him call her back and asking her what happened, and simply rushed out of the restaurant and into Diagon Alley.

She turned back once she reached the slightly desolate, cobbled streets of the alley proper, chest heaving as tears blurred her vision briefly before streaking down her cheeks, seeing the tall, dark, and achingly handsome figure of the only wizard she'd ever fully given herself to standing only feet away and yet a lifetime apart from her. Her heart ached, still beating onward despite being shattered, and Lily lifted a hand in farewell, hating that she'd just had a lovely date and the only thing she could think about was those moments being pressed to Blaise where he'd been oh so close to kissing her. But the redhead knew it couldn't ever work, that they were both better off without one another, and the drama and bad press would never stop if they tried being more than vague acquaintances in the same field. Lily told herself yet again, still not quite believing it.

She got back to her flat, and cried through her disrobing and shower, then pushed her ragged, battered emotions under lock and key in her heart and mind and focused, once again, on the last thread she allowed herself to have with Blaise Zabini. She would focus on the Alternate Amatoriis problem, and nothing more, and the redhead let herself become consumed in her work as she started a fresh fire under a new cauldron and flicked through her thick notebook for the hundredth time.

It was two weeks later that the solution came to Lily, as she sat in her living room holding a cup of tea and doing nothing more than simply staring into space, looking vaguely toward her fireplace, recalling one long-ago conversation she'd had with Blaise. The conversation, completely unrelated to her current frustration that had prompted a tea break in the first place, had been about his first two top-selling, high-rated potions, patented and approved just months apart, and how he'd happened to create two entirely separate potions, for exact opposite purposes. The Fecundity Potion and the Morning After, he had told her, were really two sides of the same coin. That once the first had been constructed and Blaise's keen, cunning mind had wondered what the outcome of using ingredients that would do the opposite would do, and the result had been the second potion.

Of course, Lily knew her problem wasn't quite so cut and dried as two opposite potions, but she couldn't help but wonder… Since she'd been privy to almost all of Blaise's work at one point or another, both past and present, Lily knew the brewing process for Amatoriis almost without having to reference her notes. They were notes she'd vaguely taken on a whim, and which had served her well since she'd no longer had Blaise's brain there to pick when needed, even if she knew her former employer and mentor would be furious she had them. But now that the ball was rolling in her brain, Lily couldn't resist testing her theory.

That maybe, just maybe, if she brewed the whole potion in separate parts, it would still be able to react. She knew for a fact already that Blaise's potion contained two separate parts, for both female and male, in any combination, pleasure, and they were diluted in effect when mixed together, despite still retaining strong properties overall. Lily reckoned that just _maybe_ , if she could tweak the two separate parts of the potion, make them sensitive to one another, she could find a way to make them work in tandem, even should they never mix. That if she could apply the same dual sided experience for each, the result of both would be unimaginable.

It was a hazy idea at best, but now that Lily felt like she might be making some kind of headway, she was excited to get to work. She started yet another fresh cauldron and began scribbling furiously in her notebook, a real smile gracing her features for the first time in what felt like forever. A week later, after breaking into her flat, that was how both her older brothers found her, after several unanswered owls and her absence at an already confirmed Sunday dinner prompted Harry and Ginny Potter to worry and enlist their sons to check on their sister. Scribbling furiously in her notebook, a smile on her face as a cauldron bubbled behind her and several vials sat upon her workbench, sat the youngest Potter. Her robes were stained and wrinkled, and definitely starting to smell in the creases that hugged her frame, and her hair was a mess of curls and knots alike, made bushy from the temperature and humidity of her lab. There were ink stains on her fingers and dark shadows and bags under her eyes, even though the redheaded witch looked in superb spirits.

Lily didn't even glance up as both Albus and James Potter paused in the doorway to her miniature lab, both looking her over with resignation. "You're not going to get blown up today," the redhead said cheekily, well aware, even through her focus, that her wards had alerted her to family intruders. Still not bothering to look up, she pulled the protective goggles around her neck up over her eyes and then carefully dropped some very bright teal potion into a very hot beaker. "At least, I doubt it," she added with a manic giggle, then dropped some of the violently pink potion in as well.

Her brothers looked on, even as Lily scribbled at the speed of light as she observed her experiment, grinning broadly as the two drops shifted to either end of the hot beaker, both sizzling, then slowly began to revolve around one another. "Uh, Lily," came her brother James's voice, even as Lily grinned and pulled her goggles up, turning at last.

"Mum and Dad sent us," Albus cut in brusquely. "They're worried." He made a grunting acknowledgment when James elbowed him roughly in the side. "We're _all_ worried," he amended. Lily grinned broadly.

"Why? I'm fucking fantastic." Her hair seemed to almost crackle with electric magic a she stood and shook the messy, curl mane, and Lily giggled again. "It's all coming together!"

"Uh…" Albus's face went blank, and he glanced at his older brother, who sighed, looking around.

"You missed Sunday dinner, Lils," James said gently, taking a step into the room at last. "And you're not answering owls," he continued in that same soft, placating tone Lily associated with visiting the invalid or sick. She frowned briefly. "We're worried, Lils," James continued. "Worried you've possibly stopped taking care of yourself, and that maybe you're overworking yourself."

Lily laughed at the absurdity of the idea. It wasn't like she'd fallen off the face of the earth and hadn't bathed in months. She'd simply had a breakthrough that, while taking up the majority of her focus, hadn't completely overtaken her life. There were dishes in the sink to show she'd eaten, even if it hadn't necessarily been the best of fare, and enough half empty mugs of tea to show she was at least keeping herself afloat, and if she hadn't showered, well, so what? She was making a goddamn breakthrough in the entire notion of bloody potioneering! Personal hygiene could take a backseat in the wake of her accomplishments, almost, thus far!

"I'm fine," she said, hazel eyes lighting with that shine of brilliance and the manic gleam of dedication finally starting to pay off. "I'm better than fine," she said, smiling widely again. "I've almost solved the problem, and when I do…" she sighed, unable to convey what it would mean.

Albus and James exchanged a look she missed, one filled with mingle concern and apprehension. "Lily," James finally said, sounding pained, and Lily looked directly at her brother, wondering why he was almost cringing.

"What?" she asked, pushing a slightly greasy strand of hair behind her ear nervously at her brothers' identical looks of awkward determination.

"You should take a break," Albus said bluntly, looking at her almost sternly. "You're pushing yourself too hard, Lils, and we don't want to see you-"

Lily laughed, interrupting him. "I'm not," she insisted. "I'm so close to a breakthrough, Al, you have no idea. Seriously," she said, brows pulling together as her brothers exchanged another look, and something in her her gut shifted uncomfortably. "I'm positive I'm close to figuring out how to make-"

"I'm sorry, Lily," James sighed heavily, even as Albus lifted his brows at the eldest Potter offspring, and the dark haired, brown eyed wizard pulled his wand. Lily took an automatic step back. "You need a break, Lils," he said, and waved his free hand. "Look around. This place is a mess, _you're_ a mess, and you need to take a step back from whatever it is you're working on." His tone was firm and solemn, like he was trying to be an adult and tell her what to do, boss her around as if he somehow held the right to do so. "It's not healthy for you to-"

"Oh, so _now_ you're concerned about my health?" Lily snapped, good mood evaporating as she watched her eldest brother tense. She pulled her own wand out, temper flaring to life.

"Lily," Albus began placatingly, but the redhead was having none of it. "We just-"

"No, Albus, I don't want to hear it." She marched right up to her older brother, poking James hard in the chest with her wand, even as he clenched his jaw and set his shoulders stubbornly. "You didn't give a Niffler's tit about 'my health' when you ruined the best thing that's ever happened to me, did you?" she snarled, and James's dark brows pulled together.

"I did you a favour," the eldest Potter child growled. No one needed to mention the incident that still left a distinctly awkward tension at family meals when Lily and James were both in attendance. Lily's wand jabbed him in the chest again.

"Bullshit!" she growled, even as Albus stepped in to ensure things didn't escalate too far. Tears stung her bloodshot, overtired eyes and Lily fought to control herself. The last week, while making such progress, had also frazzled Lily's nerves and patience to the wire and left her easily susceptible to sibling-induced rage. "You got me a broken heart, and for what?" Lily demanded, shoving Albus aside and jabbing her eldest brother in the chest with her wand once more. This time, a tiny hole singed through the fabric, and Lily, breathing heavy, finally felt the dam burst. It had felt like ages that she'd been carrying around the hot, burning embers of anger at her brother, anger that he'd not only tried but succeeded at wrecking the only relationship she'd ever really had, with a wizard she would never find another to compare to. Every time she saw him, every time she spotted that _cow_ Emily Edwards' name in print, and every time she remembered the way Blaise had stared at her with that icy cold accusation in his eyes, that disgusted gleam that he'd allowed himself to be wronged by her. "So you could be the hero in my life I never fucking wanted or needed? Fuck, Jamie, you're supposed to be my big _brother_ , and you fucked me over just so you could feel like you did the right thing!"

Her voice had cracked on the last word, and even as she held in a sob, she felt Albus's strong arms pulling her into an embrace. She pushed him back, not finished with her tirade, not by a long shot, because she'd been fucking _wrecked_ for months after Blaise, even if she pasted on a chipper smile and prattled about her work around her family. "I did do the right thing, Lily, and you're the only who can't see it!" James said, looking pained as well, and with pity at the redhead, that she was somehow blind or stupid.

"James," Albus said quietly, looking uncomfortably at Lily, trying valiantly to hold herself together, obviously stressed to the breaking point. He shook his head subtly, but his older brother's expression hardened.

"What?" James said tersely, and folded his arms with an air of superiority. "She changed when she was around him, Al, and we all saw it, except her." His dark brown eyes darted back to Lily as Albus's emerald gaze dropped. "You lied and snuck around and played it off like it was alright that your damn _employer_ was taking advantage of you! That's not the sister I know and love."

"No, you're the one who can't see, James," the redhead said in a low, furious voice, wand sparking as she tightened her grip on it, Albus's arms still circling her loosely, as if braced to hold her back. "You can't see that you, you and Dad, and even Mum a little bit, are exactly the reason I hid everything, the reason I lied and snuck around. I knew that none of you trusted me to make my own choices," James snorted, and Lily glared. "I knew you wouldn't trust me to make my own _mistakes_ even. You never do." She felt her tears spill down her cheeks at last and bit her lower lip, hating her damnable emotions, striving to contain herself once more, knowing she had work still to do. She pulled in a long, slightly shaky breath, shoving her emotions down deep and wiping her face, even though fury still bubbled thickly, like over-boiled Polyjuice, in her belly. "You can tell Mum and Dad I'm doing fine, and I shall take all your concerns over my well-being in account," she said flatly, turning away, striding out of Albus's loose hold and back to her cauldron. "Feel free to let yourselves out the way you arrived," she added when silence met her words, and she glanced over her shoulder at James and then Albus.

Both looked hesitant. "Is that it, then?" James finally asked, sounding confused and wary.

"I do believe so, James," she said, sheathing her wand and smiling her patented family-time grin. "What more can we say? The sister you 'know and love' doesn't really exist because the sister you have isn't her? No, I think we've had enough sharing for one day. And I really do have an important breakthrough to attend to." _And the memories of Blaise to keep alive through the most tenuous and embarrassing means._

Albus shot her a brief smile, even as James looked dumbfounded for a beat at her softly spoken, thoroughly clinical words, then the green eyes wizard turned James toward the door. "C'mon, Jamie. I think we need to chat."

"What the fuck-!?" James began, but then Lily's privacy spells were reapplied and she turned, throat burning, back to her work. Her personal life might be a mess, but, she reckoned, her professional mess was ever so close to being righted, and that, at least, was something she'd gotten right.

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	12. Chapter 12

Brewing Perfection

written by: albe-chan

 **DISCLAIMER** : This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, kinky sex and mild BDSM themes, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

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Lily's family didn't bother to try and intervene on her experimenting for the next two weeks, even though her mother wrote her three letters during that time, asking after her and offering help with anything Lily might need done round her flat. The redhead, while she made a point to reply to her owls, didn't accept help, and so it came as a surprise when she turned up at Sunday dinner almost precisely seven months after she'd split with Blaise on that terrible night she still dreamt of on her worst nights. "Lily! Oh honey, I'm so glad you decided to come tonight!" her mother gushed, hugging her daughter close, and Lily smiled automatically, hugging back and resisting the urge to roll her eyes as her mother obvious checked her over. She, of course, was squeaky clean and dressed in clean clothes, her robes new in fact; a special treat she'd gotten for herself after celebrating the day before, after she'd sent her potion in for testing to the Ministry.

It was a gamble, of course. Lily knew it, but she couldn't help trying, even if part of her was terrified her potion would be rejected on either the grounds of failing Ministry mandated, and very strict, testing or being too close to Blaise's patent for Amatoriis. And yet, she was determined to feel proud regardless of the outcome, because she had submitted her first ever potion that would give her lead and sole credit if it was successful, and Lily reckoned that might just be worth celebrating. "I finished what I was working on," Lily said, and despite her natural hesitance to go into full gush mode, she couldn't help herself as she reveled in self pride for a beat, not even taking notice of her brothers and Scorpius at the table.

"Oh honey, that's so wonderful, congratulations!" Ginny said, beaming, and Lily didn't bother holding back her eye roll this time.

"I've only submitted my brew for testing, it might not amount to anything," Lily said, her brow furrowing for a beat as those anxieties loomed in her mind, but she forced another smile. "But I'm hoping for the best," she said, even as her mother, who'd scoffed at Lily's humble correction, embraced her tightly.

"And you did it on your own," Harry said, smiling happily at the thought that Lily had achieved something without a lick of help from anyone else. And part of her bristled a bit at that assumption, that somehow she was now, because she'd submitted a damn potion for Ministry testing, more successful than when she'd worked with Blaise. She bit her tongue, instead focusing on Scorpius, who asked casually about what sort of potion she'd been crafting, in an obvious attempt to swerve conversation into more neutral territory. Lily appreciated the gesture, and sentiment, and smiled genuinely at her third brother, who was family despite no blood relation.

"It's actually funny you ask," she said, as her mother, now that everyone was present and accounted for, flicked her wand, and the serving spoons and knives began serving the meal. "I worked off of a theory that Bl- Zabini had, about an attraction potion," she made certain not to mention Blaise's much more well-known product by name, "that was two separate halves that would only work as a whole."

She could tell, by the expressions on her family members' faces, not one of them, except perhaps Scorpius, realized just how groundbreaking her potion, should it be approved and patented, would be to the world of potioneering, and perhaps even, longterm, how Potions was taught in Hogwarts, or perhaps even other schools. For his part, Scorpius raised his brows, and looked impressed. "And you perfected it on your own?"

The redhead scoffed, because although she had her own vague notes based off Blaise's, she'd relied mostly on memory and intuition while working on her potions. "Of course. In case you forgot, I'm pretty brilliant sometimes," Lily said, a playfully teasing edge in her tone, but the second she heard the words come out of her mouth, Lily's heart thudded dully, as if mourning the pieces of Blaise she'd forcibly removed from it before gluing the rest back together as best she could.

"You're always brilliant, honey," Harry said proudly. "And I'm certain in no time you'll get the green light for your potion." Lily smiled back, even though the doubts still whispered in the back of her mind.

"I always figured you were a secret genius," Albus said fondly, making Lily's smile tilt up with genuine pride. "Shame it took so long for you to _prove_ it, mind, but congrats nonetheless little sister." Lily kicked him under the table, but must've hit Scorpius, who covered his grunt of pain with a cough.

"Thanks," she said as dryly and sarcastic as possible, not bothering to ask James, like she might have done what seemed an age ago, if he was going to admit he was impressed with her or not. Teasing seemed like a risky move, and she couldn't bear to feel anymore bad blood with her family. They were just about all she had at this point, including James, as much as she almost wished she had Blaise instead of her eldest brother at her lowest moments. "Either way, it's kind of exciting and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed," Lily said, and left it at that, content to let the dinner conversation drift to other topics now she'd had her moment.

When she left, much later than usual and well after dessert, she was surprised to find James hot on her heels out of the kitchen and to the front door. "Going somewhere?" Lily asked as she stepped aside from the door, trying for a light and teasing tone, after having fastened her cloak around her shoulders, and felt her heart start to pound when her brother looked uncomfortable.

"Look, I'm not going to apologize," James finally blurted out when Lily merely folded her arms, staring at the dark haired, brown eyed wizard she'd looked up to so much as a kid, and the redhead witch scowled. "But I don't want it to be like this," he went on, with a sense of urgency now. "I don't want _us_ to be like this, Lils."

Lily bit her tongue against the automatic urge to snap back something rude along the lines of, 'Well then you shouldn't have ruined my life when I was just starting to actually _live_ it', and instead nodded. Because, somewhere beyond all the anger and frustration and sadness she felt with James and over his role in the deterioration of her relationship with Blaise. Because even she wasn't fool enough to think James was the sole person to blame for all of that. As much blame could be doled out to Blaise himself, or even her, and she knew it was unfair to hold her brother, her family, at bay for something they'd done with good intentions. Even if it had ended horribly.

"I don't want us to be like this either," she said honestly. "And I don't want you to think you have to always take care of me," Lily added when James opened his mouth to respond. "I get that you want to look out for me," she said quickly, trying to get her point across without being confrontational or rude, in a way her brother might listen to, while still being respectful of his differing opinion. "I like that you do it," she explained, "because I know that you've always got my back, but honestly, James…" She sighed, trying to find the right words as her brother furrowed his brow and frowned at her, but mercifully kept silent. "I need to make mistakes, I _need_ to fuck up, all on my own, without you always trying to fix it all for me," she said honestly, glancing up fearfully into her brother's dark brown gaze.

"I can get that," James said tersely, after a long pause that had Lily second guessing her burst of sharing. "But at the same time, I don't like seeing you make the same mistakes I did. Getting attached when it wasn't…" James trailed off, and although Lily was tempted, more than slightly, to make a snide comment, she resisted yet again to save the conversation. "I just don't like seeing you mess up," James finally sighed after falling silent for a long moment.

Lily nodded, because she understood that, and it was kind of endearing in a way, that her brother was always wanting to shield her from the harsh realities of life. But in the same vein, Lily wanted to explore her options, even if it meant falling on her face or worse. "Yeah, but if I don't mess up, how am I going to learn my lesson?" she pushed, and would've laughed, had it been over something else entirely, at James's grimace of distaste.

"You don't need to," her big brother said stubbornly, still grimacing. "Between Al and myself, you've more than enough experience you should know when we say-"

"Oh come off it, Jamie," Lily sighed. "I get it, you want to watch out for me, but I'm not eleven years old, a scared Firstie on the Hogwarts Express, anymore," she added, her temper finally flaring a little. She sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "I appreciate that you and Al both, and even Dad I guess, want me to never have to go through the hard stuff, but I need to. I _want_ to. I want to put myself out there and maybe get my heart broken by some prick, because then I'll know what it feels like when it's whole and I have feelings for someone that are real. I want to make stupid life choices sometimes to know that I'm capable of pulling myself out of them, and that when I need help, I'll have you. But you can't live my life for me, James."

Her brother looked down, scuffing the toe of one trainer into the ground and sighed. "Fuck, I hate that you're a genius sometimes," he grumbled, but smiled a little when he looked back up at her. Lily smiled back, torn between laughter and crying, because it seemed like James was really getting it.

"I'm still mad at you," she warned, even as her brother pulled her into a too-tight hug that had her smacking him in the chest when she was finally released. James smiled down at Lily's pursed lips. "You ratted me out to a gossip writer."

James had the decency to at least wince at the reminder. "I thought it would help you in the long run," he mumbled. Lily sighed, because she _was_ still mad, but she knew he at least felt bad about it. "And really, Lils, I can't promise Emily won't write about you or," he paused, then cleared his throat, " _him_ , ever again, but I will promise I won't ever be the one pitching the story to her again."

Lily swallowed, because the almost-admission from James that he was still seeing the bitch who'd written the article that had ruined what she'd had going with Blaise kind of hurt, but she could accept her brother's vow. "Deal," she said, and then opened the front door to their childhood home, feeling a sense of peace, even if nothing had really been resolved for her. "See you in a week, Jamie," she added with a soft smile, then stepped into the wind and Disapparated home.

Lily, who had taken almost no break in her experimental brewing since she'd submitted her lust potion for Ministry mandated testing, was somewhat surprised to find a letter being delivered via standard barn owl post two days after the six week anniversary of her submission. She hadn't thought, very much at least, about her variation on Blaise's Amatoriis potion, and hadn't bothered to check in on the progress it was making through the trial and testing phase. So when the redheaded witch opened a letter from the Department of Experimental Charms and Potioneering, she was shaking and barely breathing, telling herself she could read a bloody letter, and no matter what it said, she'd still accomplished _something_. The words, at first didn't make sense, but Lily closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then another for good measure, and focused on what was written. And then her mouth promptly fell open in shock.

 _Miss Lily L. Potter,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that the potion you submitted on 10 March to the Ministry of Magic Experimental Potioneering Department, has finished being evaluated._

 _The results of your submission indicate you have successfully drafted a safe, patentable, pair of potions that not only accomplish their intended goal, but were observed to have little to no side effects. A complete, comprehensive table of the findings and results of testing is included on the parchment accompanying this notice. Please contact this office should you have further questions pertaining to our submission results._

 _As per the disclosure agreement signed upon submission, the Ministry will be in contact within a week of this dated notice to discuss public patenting, unless you should opt for private means. All patent submissions can be placed through the Ludicrous Patents Office Experimental Division weekdays during regular Ministry hours._

 _Congratulations and best of luck with future submissions,_

 _Matilda Plucket,  
Secretary of Experimental Potioneering Submissions_

Two weeks later, the ink of her signature still drying on her public patent, Lily was heading out of a lift at the Ministry, still basking in the glory of her achievement, and having just had a very successful, and promising, meeting to have her potions manufactured and marketed. She'd signed her patent, then gone down to the Department of Mysteries and inked her signature across the dotted line of the manufacturing and marketing contract the Ministry had offered, as well as a nondisclosure contract, not to mention any of the plans before the launch date.

And while Lily had been hesitant to possibly lose any intellectual rights to her potions and their brewing process, the Ministry assured her that her patent made her the sole owner of such information, and that the governing body of wizarding England would respect that. She would control the majority of rights to her potions, but the Ministry of Magic would take half of any profits she made once her potions launched. Though, with the way the two wizards and one witch had pitched working with the Ministry, rather than a private company, she would most likely be disgustingly rich regardless.

And now, with an unquenchable smile and her heart soaring in what felt like the first time in far too long, Lily stepped out of the lift the moment the doors opened. And of course, because Fate was kind of a bitch to her, she walked smack dab into the chest of the wizard who'd been waiting to board once the lift emptied. "Oof!" she grunted, her face hitting a firm plane of muscle, and she inhaled deeply without thinking, feeling her brain short out and all of her muscles freeze when an all too familiar scent tickled her nose. The faintest whiff of amber from his shower gel and the tiniest tickle across her delicate nose from the bergamot aftershave he'd applied that morning, combined with something entirely natural that seemed to permeate from Blaise Zabini's skin. Lily shuddered, eyes closed, when she recalled just how that particular note had _tasted_ , and then felt her heart sink to her toes.

Blaise looked down at her as she stepped away, the lift doors closing with finality behind her. The redheaded witch found herself all but lost in his dark, captivating gaze, and she felt every nerve ending across her body stand on red alert as a slow smile spread over that full, delicious mouth. "Lily Potter," he said, and the redhead had to close her eyes as she breathed in again, nostrils flaring as she tried to capture his scent and seal it into her lungs forever. Because the sound of Blaise speaking her name in that deliciously seductive and utterly knicker-destroying voice was like having an eargasm, and all Lily wanted was to hear those four delectable syllables in that rough, husky tone forever.

"Blaise," she whispered, her body heating in the places where his hands still rested on her body, and she fought the desire to whimper. Because even now, after all the long months and the aching nights and aching memories of her time with her former employer outside the realm of work, Lily was horny beyond measure and starving for any tidbit of attention from the only wizard she lusted for.

"Just the witch I was hoping I'd see," Blaise said, seemingly oblivious to the parting of Lily's lips and the shallow way her breath fanned over his face. "I believe congratulations are in order, aren't they?" the dark eyed pureblood continued, and Lily nodded, hazel eyes stuck inside the depth of Blaise's dark eyes, and their shifting chocolate depths.

"I-" Lily breathed, but Blaise simply chuckled under his breath, making her nipples stand on end, recalling bodily a _very_ pleasurable night they'd spent in Arizona a lifetime ago.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable in your glorious achievements, if I were you, though, pet," he added cruelly, still smiling and using that tone of voice she so heavily associated with sexual pleasure, and, leaving Lily feeling bereft and aching, sidestepped around her and boarded the lift that arrived in the next moment. Lily went home on autopilot, her glorious mood perfectly ruined, and sobbed into her pillow, crying herself eventually to sleep over the unfairness of finding the one wizard she could love wholeheartedly and that she would never have again.

Less than forty eight hours after that brief interlude, Lily, feeling frazzled, pushed her messy hair out of her face after stripping her protective gloves and goggles, and growled under her breath as the knocking at her front door resumed, yet again, interrupting her thoughts and dissolving her concentration. "Bloody buggering fuck, go _away_ ," she snarled, putting stasis charms on her work and stomping angrily to her front door. She was ready to ream out whatever family member or neighbour had disturbed her, because didn't these people fucking realize she was _busy_? She'd specifically reserved the entirety of the weekend to catch up on some of her experiments, and had locked her Floo and warded her flat against Apparition for privacy.

She opened her front door and was practically stupefied so much she almost choked on her tongue when a tall, broad shouldered wizard faced her across the threshold. Because the words that had frozen on her lips rolled back immediately at seeing Blaise Zabini, in all his well-dressed and intimidatingly _male_ presence, faced her on the other side of her front door. And the sexy devil looked utterly _delighted_ to be visiting her. Which, after Lily recalled just how perfectly Blaise had reduced her to a prepubescent girl emotionally last time she'd seen, riled her temper like nothing else.

"What the fuck do you want?" Lily growled, her brows pulled together fiercely and her jaw clenched to resist the urge to touch Blaise, if only to ascertain he was real. Mostly, she wanted to touch him to see if he felt as good against her skin as she remembered, and to find out if her memories of him naked were at all accurate after all this time. She cursed herself, even as she entertained those traitorous thoughts, for a fool.

"I figured I should deliver this personally," he said, extended a large envelope addressed to her. When Lily's hazel gaze moved to the sender's address, she felt something heavy settle in her gut.

"What is this?" she whispered, mouth dry and palms sweaty all of a sudden after registering what those damnable six words meant for her personally. _McGuiness & Gillespie, Attorneys of Magical Law._ "What are you-?" she demanded, glaring up at the hard, dark eyes she'd seen in the throes of ecstasy and also simmering with rage a lifetime ago.

"I'm suing you," Blaise stated simply. Lily's jaw dropped.

"On what fucking grounds do you think you can sue me!?" she demanded, sounding uncannily hysterical.

The dark skinned wizard merely smiled, as if amused by her outrage. "You stole my idea, Lily," he said softly. "And you stole the precise recipe for _my_ patented lust potion." She felt her heart sinking even as Blaise's smile turned crooked, and his dark eyes had that playful crinkle at the corners she recalled _far_ too well. "Did you think I wouldn't notice, pet? And with a public patent no less?" Blaise asked, his tone deepening and roughening pleasurably.

The redhead instantly blushed, but her anger didn't fade. "It's a completely different-" she began hotly, but her former lover interrupted her.

"It's the exact same ingredients in the exact same amounts, and the only difference lies in a very minor change in brewing practices," Blaise finished for her, looking smug. "Face it," he said looking unbearably handsome and detestably sexy, "you're thoroughly fucked either way, Potter."

"What do you want, then?" she demanded. It had taken almost no time for Lily to realize that when you had reached success at almost any level, anyone and everyone could be bought. And she had a feeling she already knew what Blaise's price would be.

Blaise smiled wolfishly, and the hairs on Lily's arms and the back of her neck stood on end. "I don't think I need to tell you out loud, yet again, precisely what I _want_ , Lily." She licked her lips, drawing in a ragged breath, wondering if she could, as she suspected was the case, trade her body and heart for something she had truly worked bloody hard to achieve, and felt she owned already. And the longer she stewed it in her thoughts and mind the more Lily realized, had it been anyone else, she'd have told them already she'd meet them before the Wizengamot. But this was something else entirely.

This was the man she'd loved and longed for, for a painfully long time, the wizard she missed physically and emotionally, and whom she loved with her whole heart without a doubt. And for him to try and persuade her… Lily was positive after only a second of consideration she'd trade her body, a million times over, to prevent the man she loved from discrediting and ruining her career. Because she was undoubtedly selfish in wanting it, but Lily couldn't think of a better way to have her cake and eat it too.

"Say it," she demanded, hating that she lusted for this wizard, still, when he was offering her nothing and threatening her very future. And hating, even more, that she loved him still, when he obviously felt nothing.

She watched a cool eyebrow rise, those dark eyes appraising her in her ratty old tank and Muggle jeans that somehow stretched amazingly. "Very well," he said after a beat, eyes dropping from her face to slide, slow and appraising before darting back up. She held her ground, licking her lips nervously as he leaned down and into her, bracing one arm above her head on her door frame, preventing her slamming it on him, unless she should choose to break his bloody arm, of course.

Lily, not firing quite on all intellectual cylinders with Blaise's proximity, failed to notice the very Slytherin move. "First, I want you to get out of those fucking pants, and then I'd like you to shut that lovely mouth of yours until directed otherwise," Blaise said in that perfect, low and husky voice that always loosened her inhibitions and melted her reserves. Her face began to go pink with mingled embarrassment and lust, and Lily felt her chest start to heave in excitement. "And then I'd like to have you so many times you never forget just how _perfectly_ your body was made for me again." The crimson haired witch's face crumpled a little, hating that she was already halfway there, without a single touch and just the lowly murmured suggestion in Blaise's voice. She had to bite her lip on the urge to moan as Blaise gently traced the fingers of his free hand across her cheekbone, thumb brushing her lower lip and plucking it from between her teeth gently. "And then, when I've finally sated you, what I _really_ want, is for you to sign the rights to your little patent over to me, because we both know you stole my idea, Lily."

Instantly, it felt as though a bucket of ice water had been poured over Lily. She froze, feeling betrayed and furious, that Blaise had tried to mislead her, and that he'd also been so detestably successful at doing so. "You're a prick," she whispered, even as tears began to form in her eyes, making Lily blink her eyes furiously to keep them in check. "I'm not signing shit," she growled.

Blaise, still leaning close to her, smiled slowly. "I can't say I expected anything less, pet," he replied easily, seemingly unperturbed, then pulled a sheaf of parchments from within his robes. "So in case of that inevitable end, I came prepared. I'm going to offer you a job, Potter." Lily merely stared at her former employer and once upon a time lover, then laughed.

"Oh yeah?" she pushed. "You think I'd take my job back if you offered it?" Lily demanded.

"I'm all but certain you'd do _much_ more than just resume working for me to avoid the inevitable lawsuit we both know I'd win against you for intellectual rights to _my_ idea."

Lily scowled, hating that he was right, even as she realized her hands were all but tied. "You're a prick," she repeated.

"So you seem fond of reminding me. So, do we have a deal, Lily? Or would you like to take your chances facing me before the Wizengamot, almost all of whom will believe me and my flawless track record of brilliance, versus you and that non-existent track record of yours, against my _very_ expensive solicitors?"

The redhead curled her lip, tempted to slap the handsome face of the one wizard she knew held her entire future in his palm, and gulped thickly, ignoring the urge to actually strike him, or worse, curse the bastard silly. Lily could compose herself politely if necessary, even if it would cost her pride. "Fine," she spat at last, seeing no other alternative.

"Excellent," Blaise said, smiling widely and smugly before pulling away from her at last, removing his arm from her door and straightening his robes. "So wonderful to know you're just as easy to buy as the common whore," he added blithely, and Lily's blood all but boiled as she bit her tongue and strove not to react.

"Unfortunately," she finally said, smiling through gritted teeth, "I'm going to have to put one stipulation on my agreement," she finally managed to say, holding tight to her brittle and strained tone of polite engagement.

"Oh?" Blaise questioned, both brows lifting now, making his smile smack of condescension. Lily almost let her smile slip, but managed to hold it together at the image of how Blaise would look with her door slammed in his face.

"Yes," she said, and grasped the doorknob tightly in her hand, feeling something building inside her. After the emotional, and physical, let down that had accompanied Blaise's collusion with their involvement, Lily was beyond raw, and feeling far too emotional. "I think you're going to end up awfully lonely in the end, Blaise," she said in a voice that only quavered a little, feeling a stab of guilt and yet also a jolt of vindicated justice, when the dark skinned wizard looked stricken for a beat. "And you'll only have yourself to blame at the end of that, won't you?" she replied, and gulped, even as her former lover began to scowl at her. "I just hope you realize," Lily continued, trying to convince herself bravery was simply a disregard of logic, and plunging headlong into uncertainty, "someday, that I loved you, Blaise."

She watched for a breath as her former lover's face transformed into one of pure shock, and then she finally gave into the building urge to simply slam the door in his handsome, detestable face, locking it once more. Lily was confident he'd owl her the details of her new employment to save her career.

XXX


End file.
